Baby's got Blue Eyes
by Anwa
Summary: After talking with Luke one rainy night, Lorelai wonders what her life might have been like if she had given Rory up for adoption.
1. Prolouge: God Only Knows

_Alright, I know I should be working on other fics, but this idea came into my head and I couldn't help up work on it and instead of again feeling guilty I decided to post it up here. _

_So, the break down: this is my way of doing gilmore girls AU-ish fics. They're so awkward, because the show just isn't about a set cast of characters, it's a mess of returning characters, new characters, there's all these different story lines for each of the characters, so on and so forth. And you can't just transport an entire town into a new place, that'd be just pointless. So, just work with me here. _

_This fic really explores what would Lorelai's life be like if she had given Rory up for adpotion. It will mainly deal with the over-used dream squence (Holy Gilligan's Island flashbacks, batman!), but I thought that would work best. _

_Feedback would be most appericated. Title subject to change._

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**Baby's got Blue Eyes  
**"_God only knows what I'd be without you."  
__(Beach Boys, "God only Knows")_

The rain beat down softly on the massive front windows of Luke's dinner, and the infamously spirited Lorelai Gilmore sat slumped over her table, coffee cup in hand. It was going on seven, Rory was late again. They were supposed to meet at six for their usual dinner at Luke's, but she was late. Again. For the third time that month.

And for Rory Gilmore, a child that from the tender age of six prided herself on promptness, that was reason enough for admission into a psycho ward for a twenty-four hour observation.

She felt a slight nudging in her back shoulder blade, and grumbled a response. Probably just someone checking to make sure she was still alive. Hell, who knows? Maybe a tourist checking out what small town people were really like.

"You've been like that for a half-hour," she heard Luke's gruff voice behind her, "Ever since you ran out of coffee. Since then I have waved several pots, fresh pots mind you, in front of your face and you haven't even flinched. What's with you?"

She lifted her head slowly from the table, "It's nothing," she mumbled, "Rory's just a little late again, that's all."

"Are you sick? Did you not see the beautiful coffee pot?" He raised his arm with the coffeepot in hand for emphasis. He waved it around a bit, pulling it further away then back up close to her.

She just watched with mild amusement, "Look, I'm fine. I guess it's just the rain that's making me this moody. Rory's probably just stuck up at school again. You've met Paris haven't you?"

"The blonde?"

She nodded, "She's quite the little firecracker."

"Did you just say 'firecracker'?"

"Yes, and shut up. Sometimes I enjoy expanding my vocabulary with new and exciting adjectives and other grammar stuff."

He rolled his eyes, "Then I'll get you word of the day toilet paper for your birthday next time, no more of this five free work hours from Luke nonsense."

She smiled at his antics, "Thanks, I needed that."

He offered a warm smile, "Sure thing." He topped off the rest of her coffee cup, before returning back to his other customers.

She sipped her coffee absent mindedly, just watching Luke as he interacted with his other customers, scribbling down this, scribbling down that, yelling things at Caesar in the back, or at Kirk from across the room.

She was so focused on watching that she almost missed the soft ringing of her cell phone, the only reason she had noticed it was when Luke gave her an annoyed look and pointed to the sign. Not just any old sign. But the sign. The sign that never allowed her to answer and talk into her cell phone inside of the diner. Not that she had ever been one for the rules.

She leapt for her phone, pouncing on it like a lion would the poor zebra it happened to catch that day. "Rory?" She spat out automatically, not even bothering to check the caller ID first.

"Yeah, it's me, mom."

"What's up, where are you?"

"Still at Yale. I don't think I'm gonna be able to make it tonight, I'm sorry. Things are just piling up here, and Paris isn't helping," she seemed to shout the last part into the background, "So, yeah, maybe next week then?"

"But you cancelled the week before too. I haven't seen you much, kid. I feel like a normal thirty-year old unmarried woman! What are you doin' to me?" She forced a chuckle on Rory's account. At least on the phone Rory couldn't see the real reaction.

"Mom," Rory moaned, "It's getting down to the end of the year. I've got exams and a full class load! I'm sorry, but I guess you'll just have to be a non-single parent for once. Go out and get drunk. Do something crazy. Egg a car. Egg Luke's car!"

"Sure thing, kiddo."

Rory sighed, "Look, I'm sorry. But I can't make it. I thought I could squeeze you in, but things are just too crazy right now. I promise I'll try and call later, kay?"

"Yeah, that'd be good."

"Love you," Rory sang into the phone.

"Yeah, love you too, kiddo." She closed the phone slowly, then set it down on the table without so much as a word. She stared blankly ahead, watching as the rain poured down onto the streets in front of her.

"She's not coming, I take it," Luke pulled up a seat besides her, then set the fresh coffeepot in the middle of the table. Just in case.

Lorelai forced another smile, "Oh, it's almost the end of the year. Got a lot of cramming to do, y'know. She tried, but she just couldn't squeeze me in. But we'll try again next week. Same bat-time, same bat-place."

"Lorelai," he said softly.

She shook her head, "No. Don't do that, Luke. I know that voice, and I'm fine. Nothing to worry about. And you know what, this, this might be good for me. Now I can do everything I've always wanted to do! I mean, I never really got the chance to be a single gal before! Now I can really see what it's like! This is gonna be fun. I'm a fun! Hell I'm a walking party! This is gonna be great. Like frosted flakes great. Just grrr-eat!"

"You don't believe that."

She bit her lip, "Yes, yes I do," she lied unconvincingly.

"Lorelai, I love Rory just as much as you, but she shouldn't be doing this to you. You're her mother, she should at least take a couple of hours off to visit you, especially since she hasn't seen you in about a month now, right? You've missed that many dinners? It's bullshit. Nobody's that busy."

Lorelai turned to face him, "Well maybe Rory is."

"You're stubborn."

"Well you're wrong about her. And me. We're just fine. Rory's just busy. With schoolwork. She's got a full class load, you know. And Yale's a tuff school!"

"I know, but that doesn't change the fact that she can't take steal a couple of hours once a week to see her mom. Hell, I think I even saw Jess more then that, and I know he hated me."

"Jess didn't hate you. At least not in the end."

"Well he did a just dandy job of showing it. Not graduating I think was his biggest gift that he has ever given me to date."

Lorelai smiled faintly, as they both fell into a comfortable silence, both just staring out at the rain in front of them. "She's a good kid, y'know. Just busy."

"I know."

"It's just hard being alone like this, y'know? It's always been me and her. We grew up together. It's just hard adjusting that's all."

"Did you ever wonder what your life would be like if you, well, if you had given Rory up for adoption? I mean, you were sixteen. That's quite the load to be taking on. I'm sure the thought must have crossed your mind at least once or twice, didn't it?"

She nodded, "Yeah. I did."

"I wonder if you'd still be here, sitting with me. Watching the rain."

She turned back to face him, tearing her eyes away from the rain for probably the first time in an hour or so. "I'm sure I would."

Luke smiled faintly, as he picked up his hand and rested it on top of her own, "Good. I don't think my diner would have survived without your massive contributions to my income."

"Hey, Luke?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I stay here tonight?"

He looked at her strangely, "I-umm, wow,"

"I just don't want to go home to an empty house again," she admitted, "The monsters might get me," she tired to add in a dash of her trademark humor, but it fell flat one again.

He nodded, "Sure thing, Lorelai. I still have Jess's old bed."

She gave his hand a warm squeeze, "Thank-you."

"Isn't it the supplier's job to keep the junkie happy?"

She smiled, "Dirty."

"What? How does that constitute a 'dirty'?"

"Think about it."

He paused, "Ah, jeez, Lorelai!" He tore his hand away, "Just for that," he reached across the table and grabbed the coffeepot, "I'm taking this away!"

"Ah! What no fair!"

"Get used to it," he grumbled in traditional Luke fashion.

She smiled, that Lorelai Gilmore smile that was so intoxicating that it was deadly to all who had seen it in it's purest form. "Fine then, loser," she mumbled out, "I think I'm just gonna hit the sack. Long day." She pushed herself out of the chair for the first time in hours, and walked across the diner towards the stairs.

"You can take some of my sweats if you want them," Luke offered.

"Thanks, I think I'll take you up on that," she answered, "There's coffee upstairs isn't there?"

"Are you serious?"

"Hell ya. I need my bedtime coffee. It's only right. I won't be able to sleep without it."

"Junkie."

She smiled brighter, "Angel," she mused, "See ya tomorrow, Luke." She turned and hiked up the short flight of stairs towards Luke's apartment. The entire way she couldn't get his question out of her head. What if she had given Rory up? In all of her years raising Rory she had never once thought about that. Once that kid had popped out of her, there was no threat, fascist leader, or even Bono himself that could convince her to give up that little miracle.

And it seemed funny that the first time she would think of it was when her kid had grown up and left the coop. Then again, Lorelai was never a traditionalist.

She pushed open Luke's door, and walked into his dark apartment. She reached over to her right, and flipped on the light switch, illuminating the room in front of her. All the while thinking, this could have been her life. She could have lived alone. She could have dated guys as she pleased, never having to think about how they would effect Rory.

She walked across the room, over towards his small closet in the corner of the room. She pulled open the closet door, then rifled through the various clothing options. Finally she found a Luke-sized pair of sweat pants and an over-sized college t-shirt. She didn't have any college t-shirts, other then the various Harvard paraphernalia she had Rory had collected over the years, and now the modest number of Yale clothing that had been mainly given to her by her parents. But she didn't have her own college t-shirts or sweatshirts. She never lived on a campus, with other kids her own age, experimenting and developing worldviews to be shattered the second she left that campus.

Sure she'd gone to business school, but that wasn't the same. By then she had her own twisted worldviews that couldn't be shattered, and she was at least five if not ten years older then her fellow classmates. It wasn't college. It was life. The real world's way of stepping up.

With a soft sigh, she pulled of her own clothes, leaving them in a small pile besides Luke's bed, and slipped into his own. She practically drowned in all the material, but she didn't mind. She hugged the clothing closer to her, they even smelled like him. A second-hand hug, if you would.

She didn't even bother with walking over to Jess's old bed. Luke wouldn't mind if she slept in his. But she just didn't know if she could make it all the way over to the opposite side of the bed. The tears that she had been holding back all night were beginning to fall, and with no one here to witness them she didn't bother holding them back.

She was sure that Wonder Woman must have cried sometime. The thing was that nobody was ever around the see it. And seeing as how Lorelai was wonder woman reincarnated, it only made sense for her to cry alone.

She slipped her body in between his sheets, letting her tears fall carelessly against his pillow. She could feel her whole body shaking, and she just couldn't get it to stop. All she could think about was how she'd lost her little girl and her life all in one night as she slowly drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

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_Alright, Lorelai's dream is going start next chapter. I have no intention of soully following Lorelai, so in translation I'm gonna follw both Lorelai as well as Rory and whoever else I feel like. This is Lorelai's dream, and she's a complex gal, she might as well have complex dreams. Like a onion that one. lol. _

**_Please Review.  
Updates up sooner or later._**


	2. One: The Set Up

_Alright, chapter two up and running. And in record time too! I mean I just posted this, right? I don't think I've ever updated so fast. lol. Don't execpt this to be a regular occurance, I'd hate to be chased by an angry mob so soon in life. But I guess eariler would be better then later, considering the speed and aglity needed. I mean an old and feeble me being chased by an angry mob? Well, it might be like a Senifeld-like chase, but just not as exciting and fast pased. Sorry, getting off topic. _

_**Miss-Lionesse: **I don't nesscarrily agree with you that Rory is going to have a more complicated life, I think their lives are going to be equally as complicated, but this isn't going to be a Lorelai-centric fic if that's what your getting at. Those bug the death out of me. Thank-you for the review._

_**ProFfeSseR: **Thanks for the catch about Lorelai's name. I was typing fast and didn't pick up on what I did, I'll have to change that. Again, I don't need to be chased by an angry mob just yet. Let me get more in shape first, then I'll alert the same media that Paris Hilton released that press statement to so the whole world could know that her and Nichole Richie were no longer friends and release my very own statement declaring myself ready and prepared for the hunt. lol. Sorry, I'm rambling. Thanks for the reivew._

_**crazyfic: **I felt bad making Rory out to be such a villian, but I needed something to trigger Lorelai's thoughts thus creating a dream sequence of course, and it was between that and making Rory get in a car accident which I figured was just too over-used. Thanks for the reivew._

_Also thank-you to: **Rusty-Bedsprings, Pokey, and angeljunkie.**_

**_Note: This chapter begin's Lorelai's dream sequence. You've been warned, now no complaining of confusion._**

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_"If you cannot get rid of the family skeleton, you may as well make it dance."  
(George Bernard Shaw)_

Lorelai jerked her eyes open to the annoying beeping of her alarm clock. It was that dull, mundane, incessant beeping that would push Ghandi over the edge, and had slowly been wearing down her little bit of sanity she had left. And besides that little annoying fact, it was way too early for her to be up anyways.

She was supposed to drive into Connecticut today. To speak at some high school about her career as a journalist for the New York Times. A dream job, for a dream life really.

"Too early, babe," she heard her boyfriend, Alex, mumble sleepily, as he reached over and covered his ears with his pillow.

She kissed him lightly on his forehead, "Sorry, didn't mean to wake you, sweetie."

"Ugh, just turn that thing off!"

She reached over and complied, "Better?"

He lifted the pillow off his ears, "Almost," he smiled hopefully.

Lorelai leaned down and gave him a proper good morning kiss, "Better?"

"Much improved."

"Alright then, I'll be back tomorrow night. Try to get Trixie out of here by at least then, and this time don't let her leave her tacky red pumps behind. Major tip-off."

"You're hilarious, has anyone ever told you that?"

She gasped mockingly, "I thought my wit was the first thing you fell in love with!"

He smiled faintly, "You are quite witty."

"I've heard," she smiled, "I gotta get going if I'm gonna be to that school in time."

"What school?"

"Stars Hallow High School. It's some small-town high school out in the middle of nowhere, but conveniently located just an hour away from my parents house."

"I'm sorry."

She shrugged, "As long as they don't find out I'm there, I should be okay. I doubt my parents would visit such a rustic place. And by rustic I mean shit-hole by Emily standards."

"You're moody in the morning."

She smiled, "Love ya, babe."

"Love ya, too, Lore."

She leaned down and kissed him one more time, before she pulled herself out of their bed. She walked over the couple of feet to their large dresser, and pulled out a pair of travel clothes for the day. She wouldn't be speaking until tomorrow, it didn't matter what she looked like, she just had to look sexy enough to get away with a traffic ticket but be able to be cramped up in a car for a couple of hours rocking out to who knows what.

Alex was already snoring again by the time she had finished getting dressed and made her way into the bathroom. They had been dating for almost a year now. It was conformable. They were good for each other. And he truly did love her. She just couldn't figure out what her problem was.

Whatever or whoever she met in her life, she was always unhappy. She was surrounded by people constantly, but couldn't help but feel lonely. She had her dream job, lived her dream life. Everything was perfect.

But apparently perfect has its blemishes.

She studied herself in the mirror, and let her mind fall back to the place she tried to prevent it from going but where it most wanted to be. She would be sixteen now. In a couple of days actually. The sixteenth. Not Lorelai, no, she was a work-a-holic thirty-something. No, Lorelai's so-called mistake. The kid that her parents had convinced her to give up.

And every once and awhile, Lorelai found herself studying her face, wondering if her little girl looked like now. Sure she had seen her child as a baby, but things were bound to change. Did she have Lorelai's eyes? Her nose? Did she have Lorelai's bubbly personality? Or was she a loner?

She couldn't be a loner. No. Not with Lorelai and Chris behind then genetic engineering wheel. No, she'd be a people person. And smart as a whip too.

Lorelai shook her head, pulling herself back to reality. She shouldn't keep thinking about that. But today was different. She couldn't help but hold out hope for a glimpse of her little baby. Well, she wouldn't be a baby anymore.

The day she was born, she was adopted by a family in that was living in Stars Hallow. She didn't know if they were still living there, but she could hope. That was the reason she had agreed to give this speech. In fact, she had been ecstatic at the opportunity, even if her expression maintained an annoyed 'if I have too' opinion.

She pulled back her hair into a tight ponytail, and didn't bother with any make-up. If she got caught speeding, she could use a challenge. Going in make-up-less certainly was something she had never tried before.

With that, she took one more look at herself, then walked out of the bathroom, turning off the light behind her. She walked back into the bedroom, and grabbed the suitcase from the end of the bed that she had the foresight enough to pack the night before, and surveyed the room one last time.

"Love you," she whispered at Alex, doubting that he'd actually heard her, "Bye."

He sort of mumbled in response, she shook her head. He could have slept through a nuclear war if given the opportunity, but would wake up to her alarm clock. She would never understand that man.

Satisfied that she had completed every task she needed (minus her daily coffee needs, that could be filled on the road), she walked out of the apartment and into the brisk New York morning, a small, hopeful smile on her face.

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Luke Danes had never cared much for the high school crowd. Sure, there were a few exceptions, but not enough to redeem the group as a whole and the majority of the ringleaders (as he liked to think of them as) had decided to gather at the same exact moment in his diner. Of all places, they had to pick _his_ diner. 

He usually didn't mind the morning crowd, they were kinda quiet, it was a nice way to start off his day. But no, the high schoolers couldn't stand to be quiet. If they were quiet for one second their brains, wait scratch that, heads might explode. They didn't have brains left. Those were killed off by the massive alcohol, drugs, bleach, and overly strong perfumes that were supposed to attract people. Not make them lose their sense of smell.

"Okay, Luke, listen up," Rory Grayson, one of the few high school students he could possibly stand, walked back over from the hostile territory (he almost felt guilty about sending her in, but it was his diner any they were her peers).

"What's up?"

"We'll need seven coffees, over to table three,"

"You numbered the tables again?"

She smiled guilty, "Yes, it's a system. You need a system. And I still say you should reorganize these tables to make them more feng-shui."

"Just keep going with the order."

"Aye, aye captain," she smiled brightly, "Alright so those seven will have coffees, then at table five they all want water, something about carbs and fats and stuff, I really wasn't listening it was a very 'A Cinderella Story' moment I didn't care to repeat."

"Anything else? Actual food this time, maybe?"

"Well table five has considered it a sin to eat anything besides water, and table seven will have one plate of scrambled eggs, a plate of pancakes, which four of them intend to share mind you, and a side of bacon."

"And how long do they intend to sit there?"

"Ah, who knows? If they choose to go to school, which is a big if mind you, they'll be gone in about," she glanced down at her watch, "Twenty minutes. If not you could be stuck with them for anywhere between a half hour to several days depending on the amount of illegal substances in them."

He shook his head, "Jesus," he mumbled angrily, "And you can't do anything to hurry them along? Like go and do your homework or something in front of them, maybe that'll inspire them."

Rory looked at him like he was a crazy man, "Sure thing, Luke. That's what kids these days are inspired by. Others their own age doing homework. They totally see the error in their ways. Why did I not think of that before. You should go on Oprah. Seriously, now. Think about it."

"Oh, ha, ha," he grumbled and handed her the coffee pot, "Go give them their coffee, super genius."

She smiled again, and took the coffeepot, "You know, if they decide to stay, you won't be able to use me as your buffer. Sooner or later you'll have to face them."

He shook his head, "I'll send Kirk on them."

"Cruel man. Scaring them out of their seats," she made a tisking noise, before she turned around and began serving the seven their coffees.

He watched for a second, feeling the same pang of guilt that he had felt before about sending Rory to the lions den, but it never was big enough for him to save her. With a small shrug, he walked back into the kitchen to make the orders. It would be his record time for cooking length, his goal was to get them out of his diner as soon as possible.

He cracked the eggs onto the stove, and plopped some of the frozen bacon next to it. He was not about to extend any food separating courtesies to this crowd. As the bacon sizzled, his eyes darted back up to the small window looking out at his diner.

Rory walked around like a madwoman, serving people coffee, taking orders, giving checks, and above all else just being Rory. That loveable little kid he'd seen grow up over the years. When Seth and Allison Grayson had first announced their plans for an adoption, he couldn't help but be skeptical. With that melting pot of kids they could end up with anything, screw the whole nature vs. nurture debate, those kids were coming from ten billion different backgrounds that usually weren't the best or the brightest out there.

But he had to say they got lucky with Rory. And he couldn't help but feel pity for the parents that had decided to skip out on the experience.

The rank smell of burning bacon reached his nostrils, triggering a small little smirk on his face. If that didn't teach them to go away he didn't know what would.

"Yo! Rory!" He called through the window, "Order's up!" He shoved the bacon and eggs on one plate, and some of the pre-made (and growing cold he noted with pleasure) pancakes on another plate, then placed them on the metal ledge of the window.

"Hey Luke," she called back to him as she walked over to get the plates, "This is my last one, alright? I gotta get to school a little early today!"

"Sure thing, you know school comes first. You're dad would have my head if otherwise," he teased.

She grabbed the plates, "This is a courtesy severe that I except to be remembered in my weekly paycheck this time around," she reminded him, "I could I have left fifteen minutes ago, but I figured that for your own good, and I guess for the good of the kids that you would have ripped their heads off of, I should stick around a little longer."

"Bye Rory," he smirked.

She smiled, "See ya Luke," she turned and walked towards the table, stopping only long enough to set down the plates, then continued her way out the door and straight towards Stars Hallow High School just across the street.

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**Updates up when I get to them.  
On that note...Please Review.**


	3. Two: Mother Meets Daughter

_Wow. Just wow. I cannot believe the amount of respone I've gotten from this fic. It's just, wow. Thank you guys so much. You've all been so kind in your reivews, and I'm glad to convert you gilmore fans over to the AU side of fanfiction. I, myself am a pretty recent convert (last summer I took a walk over to the darkside and haven't been back much since). lol._

_Thank you to **LukeNLorelaifan, abbyfan, beautifulbutterfly, MasaMor99, Mrs. Scott Patterson, Dimension, Crazybum694**. Some of you guys more then once! lol._

_**ProFfeSseR: **Oh, I hope you didn't take my last comments as that I was insulted! No, no not at all! I was just thanking you for catching my mistake! Seriously, this site needs more reviewers like you. I mean the whole review that says 'update' is nice and all, but it's called a review. I totally agree with you on what you were saying, and I'm sorry if I sounded offended. That was not a bitch-out in the least bit. Trust me, I know the difference between a review and a flame. _

_**Rusty Bedsprings**: I'm so thrilled that you like my fic, I'm totally in love you with your newest fic! And I can't believe you check every day! That makes me so happy! (And not feel so alone...lol) I love you!_

_**Miss-Lionesse: **I hope you approve of the way that I introduce Rory and Lorelai. Thanks for the reivew, I'm glad your picking up on all the little character things I throw in there and hope show through. It's hard for me to do a GG fanfic, if you haven't noticed all I've been doing is writing Friends fics for the past year and LOTR's for the year before that. It's always hard to make the transitions and have the characters come off well the first couple of times up at bat. _

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_"Jump in my nightmare! The water's warm!"  
(Jerry Macguire)_

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Several hours later, Lorelai found herself driving aimlessly through the quaint little town called Star's Hallow on a desperate hunt for any thing coffee related. At this point, she'd settle for coffeecake. She should have made some before she left the apartment, it was stupid to think she could find a decent cup on the road.

She scanned the sides of the streets, it was funny, this town had a story entirely devoted to feline worship, but she couldn't mange to find a little diner or burger place? And to make matters worse she had forgotten her CD's, again, and was left to her fair-weather friend: the radio. And this being her worst nightmare, after all, it had a Christian Rock power hour. For the past three.

Then she hit the big time. She had to stop her car for a light. She hadn't seen a light for miles, let alone another car. But there is was, smack dab in front of her car beaming it's bright red color proudly.

"There is such a place as hell. This is it. I've finally found it. I guess mom and dad's is just his summer house," she rambled on to herself.

Her eyes scanned the area around her, seeing as how the light didn't seem to be changing by her staring directly at it. She really had to work on her mind powers, if she couldn't get a simple traffic light to change, how was she supposed to lift inanimate objects including several million in cash from her local bank?

Then, she found the silver lining. The Heaven humanitarian effort down below, and not just down below, but down, down, _down_ below.

There it was, it big, bright yellow letters: Luke's Diner. A diner that would have coffee. It was like a rule ors something. And it wasn't just any old diner, it was Luke's Diner. And Luke was a pretty dependable name. She was pretty sure there was an apostle named Luke, and Luke must be short for Lucas, and there's George Lucas, God to cinema. Well, classic geek cinema, but cinema none-the-less.

Without waiting for the light to change, she swerved across the intersection, and pulled into an awaiting spot in front of the diner, following the bright yellow letters like she was in a trance. Her car stuck out of the spot because of its haphazard diagonal placement, but she didn't car. Hit the thing. She'd blame it on the company, after all she was on official business, and they'd buy her a new car. A better car.

She jumped out of her car in lighting speed, and dashed into the diner without losing her womanly charm. Swinging those hips had gotten her out of a lot of possibly bad situations in the past, and if a cop was perhaps standing nearby, hopefully she had swung enough to distract him.

She walked up directly to the counter, not even bothering with the sit at a table formality. She needed coffee. Then she'd sit at a table.

"Whatda want?" The gruff, but attractive she noted, looking man from behind the counter mumbled out, raising up a pad of paper to write down whatever she said.

"Coffee," Lorelai whined out, "The biggest you got! Grande! Tall! Whatever that last one is, I'm really blanking out right now because of the lack of coffee in my system."

He looked at her, "Okay, one coffee," he scribbled down, "Is that all?"

She paused in thought for a second, "Yep, for now, anyways. Depends on how much I like your coffee if I'll want anything else. You know you can tell a lot about a place from their coffee."

"I'm sure," he mumbled, as he tore off the sheet of paper and set it on the counter in front of her. "So are you new in town or just passing through?" He asked casually, as he went about making her cup of coffee.

"Passing through-ish," she answered, "I'm giving a speech tomorrow at the high school, so I'll be in town for a couple of days, then I'll be out of your guy's hair."

He pushed the now full cup of coffee in front of her, "Oh? Really? Sounds like fun," he forced out his words obviously.

She cracked a small smile at his antics, "Do you act like you care for all your customers, or am I just special?"

"What, no! It really does, it sounds nice. That is a nice thing you are doing."

She sat down on the empty stool besides her, "Nah, I don't wanna do it. You don't have to pretend, but you know, you were really good at it. Somebody's had some acting classes."

He gave her a look, "I just don't care for most kids that age. They're out of the jam hands thing and into the 'I'm too cool for that' stage. Trust me, I see most of them at least once a day and while usually I have my Rory-buffer, right now I'm completely open."

"Your Rory-buffer?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yea, she's a kid that works here. She's the one person that can stand them long enough to actually serve them their food so she's earned the nickname the Rory-buffer."

"Creative," Lorelai smiled, "I'm Lorelai Gilmore, by the way."

"Luke Danes."

"Ooh, so _your_ Luke. The owner of the diner Luke. Well, this is a damn good cup of coffee Luke, you should expect a lot of business from be in these next few days, Luke. Whatda think about that, Luke?"

"Is there a reason you're using my name at the end of every sentence, or just plain insanity?"

"Is there a reason for that traffic light out there?"

"Hey, wasn't my idea."

"I'm sure, it's just right outside of your diner and you didn't get any say in it what-so-ever."

"Pretty much."

"I'm sure."

"Apparently you haven't met Taylor yet."

She blinked, "Taylor? I thought we were talking about traffic lights? What does this Taylor guy have to do with anything? Is he the local yahoo drives at, gasp, thirty miles an hour through the town?"

Luke cracked a smile, "I wish he was here to hear that."

"Glad to be of service," she looked at him strangely. They both sat there in a comfortable silence for a moment, Lorelai sipping, or rather gulping down, her coffee while Luke stared at her with a confused look on his face.

"What's up, Einstein? Proving that ol' theory of relativity got you down again?"

Luke shook his head, brining himself out of his short trance, "What?"

"You're staring at me. It's kinda creepy. I mean I could understand if I had something written on my face like 'stare at me' or something, but I'm pretty sure I don't. It'd be pretty hard for my car to do something like that to me, but I wouldn't put that past it. It's got quite the keen sense of revenge, and it's really looking for opportunity since that off-roading trip I took a couple of weekends ago."

"No, no, you just seem kinda familiar, that's all. I was just trying to place you, sorry."

"Oh, it's okay, I don't mind. I just needed to check that my new coffee supplier is in a slightly more sane state of mind then my own or else I don't know if I should be drinking this."

"No, no, the coffee's fine," he mumbled out half-heartedly, having returned to staring at her.

"Well?" She asked, "Anything coming to you?"

He shook his head, "Maybe you just look like somebody I met once, or something. Hey do you know a Lizzie Danes?"

Lorelai shook her head, "Not ringing a bell, sorry. Who is she? Your wife or something?"

"Oh god no, ew, my sister. I've met a lot of so-called friends of hers, I thought, maybe you were one of them."

"Oh, okay." She tipped her head back, and sipped up the last of her coffee, "Hey, Mr. Coffee Man, can I get a refill?" She held out her empty mug, smiling brightly.

"You know, this stuff will kill ya."

"Then why do you sell it?"

"Because there are people like you out in the world that keep me in business when I sell them massive amounts of coffee."

"Ooh, like a dealer. Just minus the drugs."

"Sure, whatever. My way's just more legal."

She smiled, "Then that'd make me your junkie." He smiled back at her, while he filled up her cup of coffee. "Angel, you've got wings, baby."

The bell rang behind them as the door swung open quickly then slammed shut, "Sorry I'm late, Luke! Paris was going all Donald Trump on me! I swear, I was like Nikki to her Paris!"

Luke looked up, "Oh, no problem, Rory. Things were slow around here anyways." He stared at her for a moment, then back at Lorelai sitting in front of him, then back to Rory.

"What?" Lorelai and Rory said at the same time.

"Weird," he mumbled to himself.

Lorelai turned around to look at what exactly was going on, then she saw what he had seen. Her mouth dropped open a little ways, and words came out like gibberish, none of them making any sense, or actually forming words for that matter.

Rory wasn't doing much better on the other side of the diner. At first she looked surprised, then maybe a little happy, then at the end she ended up looking more hurt then anything else.

"I-II've gotta go," Lorelai mumbled out, shooting her head down so that she couldn't see the girl standing in front of her anymore. She jumped out of her chair, and ran out the door, not even making eye contact with her daughter once as she ran out of the diner.

"Wait!" Rory called, apparently more brave then Lorelai could ever be.

Lorelai stopped mid-breath, her hand was on the door, waiting to be pushed open. She was just one more step forward to freedom and her perfect life, and one step back from the one thing she wanted most.

"Are you?" Rory breathed out, Lorelai didn't even need to turn around to know that tears were welling up in the young girl's eyes.

Lorelai bit her lip, and attempted to keep her own tears in check. She nodded her head slowly, still keeping her hand on the door, and her feet firmly planted in no-man's land.

"I've gotta go, I shouldn't be here. I've just gotta," Lorelai rushed her words out, not even bothering to finish her sentence before dashing out of the diner and towards her car just trying to keep the slightest bit of her composure behind.

That was her little girl back there. She could have delt with that so much better if she hadn't looked so much like her. Or hadn't talked so much like her. She could have delt with it if her daughter hadn't recognized her.

But this was hell after all. And kindness in hell was like a sinner in heaven.

* * *

**_Updates up soon  
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	4. Three: Rainy Days Ahead

_Sorry this took so long to get up. I was having issues deciding how I wanted Rory and how I wanted Lorelai to react. There were some where they were more accepting, ones where Rory was more pissed off, so on and so forth. I finally decided on this version, because it really shows how their characters different when they were taken away from each other._

_Anywho..._

_Thanks to **AngelJunkie, LukeNLorelaifan, Miss-Lionesse, beautifulbutterfly, pokey, miss jabadin, Mrs. Scott Patterson, ProFesSor, Rusty Bedsprings, Dimeson, epona9009, KayMara, XxAngelxX911, and Luke's Girl **for all of your reivews. _

_On a special note to **KayMara** I doubt that you are still in fact reading, but I have tried contacting you several times with an explination which I think would much benifit you and your jumpy-ness to conclusions, but I have been unable to send you any e-mail what-so-ever. So if you could give me an updated verison of your e-mail, then I would greatly appericate that. _

* * *

"You were a big fish in a small pond, but this here is the ocean and you're drownin'. Take my advice, go back to puddleville, you'll be happy there."

(Amos Calloway, _Big Fish_)

* * *

For the first time in her life, Rory had forgotten how to move. She just stood there, trying to figure out how to walk again. But her mind was flying at such a fast speed that finding those basic little blueprints within the chaos was near-to impossible. 

"Rory?" Luke's voice came over the chaos in her brain, soft and timid.

She shook her head, jarring herself back to reality. "That was her," she mumbled out softly, "Oh my god, that was her, Luke."

He nodded his head slowly, "Yea, Rory, yea she was."

She breathed in deeply, "Oh my god."

"No shit," Luke mumbled back.

"I gotta," Rory breathed out quickly, "I gotta go!" She shouted as she turned quickly on her heel and ran towards the door. She shoved it opened, almost nailing Kirk in the nose in the process, but thankfully just missing him, and ran in the direction of her so-called mother had run off to.

She didn't have to go far. Just feet in front of her, standing besides a car, her arms wrapped around her small waist, her shoulders visibly shaking.

"What do you want from me?" Rory burst out, not even bothering with agreeting.

Lorelai jerked her head towards Rory, her eyes were bloodshot, and her once perfectly pulled back hair was now a mess of loose strands. She opened her mouth slowly, waiting for any words to come to her. "I just," she started, but nothing came after that.

"What?" Rory shouted, "You just what?"

"I can't do this," she said flatly.

"Why?"

"I just can't, okay!"

They both just stood there, completely ignoring the confused stares from the townspeople around them, and continued their own staring match.

"Why are you even here!" Rory matched Lorelai's anger with her own, "What do you want from me!" She could feel her whole body shaking, her face drenched with tears.

"I can't do this. It's too big." Lorelai sounded like a small child, which was something she never saw herself sounding like. She had always been the big fish, and all the sudden she found herself drowning in the pond.

"Look, I'm sorry, but I can't do this!" Lorelai repeated, her voice finally returning to her. She turned sharply on her heel and climbed into her awaiting car.

"Wait!" Rory called after her, "Just hold up a second!"

Lorelai didn't listen that time, she had learned her mistake the first time around. She just turned the key in her car, slammed her foot on the gas and took off without even bothering to check first.

"Wait!" Rory shouted at her retreating figure. But her words fell on death ears. "Wait, dammit!" She croaked out again, before breaking down completely into her hands. The street had fallen into a sudden silence, all the people of Stars Hallow stunned by the interaction between their beloved Rory Grayson and this mystery woman.

"Rory," Luke's voice came hesitantly from behind her, braking the silence. "Just go home, okay? I can manage without you for one afternoon, cross my heart." His poor attempt at humor did little to ease the situation, but he didn't know what else to do. Humor had always been a good way of avoiding things.

Rory didn't even bother looking up, she just shook her head, "No. It's my shift. I'm working. I'm fine. Fine."

"Rory you're not fine, it's okay. I can manage. It's slow today, anyways."

She shook her head again, "No," she lifted her head out of her hands, "You need me, remember. The high schoolers will be around any minute, and I don't know how you guys will survive without your Rory buffer," she plastered on a fake smile to hide her tears.

"Rory," he said slowly.

"No, Luke," she said shortly, "I'm working." She marched inside of the diner without so much as another word, not even bothering to look at the stunned faces of the other townspeople around them.

Luke stood there for a moment, trying to play out the last few minutes inside of his head. They had gone by so quickly, it was hard to comprehend exactly what had happened. He turned around to look inside of the diner, watching as Rory went about her daily work like nothing had happened, ignoring the stares and awkward questions, and just being Rory.

And even though everything else seemed to say, she's okay, it's over. No harm, no foul. His gut disagreed with a vengeance. Then he felt it. The soft raindrops came down, hitting and bouncing off his shoulders like miniature bouncy balls from heaven.

* * *

Lorelai sped through the town, ignoring every traffic law known to mankind as she did so. It wasn't how she had thought they would met. She always imagined it going better somehow in her head, but then again, she had always been a coward and in that daydream she was brave. She was wonder woman. 

She drove up to the small, quaint, little inn that she was supposed to stay in while she was in town. The Independence Inn. Funny name, really. She was an independent woman, staying at the independence inn. Nothing holding her back. No one tying her down.

This was it. Everything she had always wanted.

She pulled up to the front of the inn, pulling her jeep into the vacant front spot. At least something was going her way today. She grabbed her small bag from the seat next to her, along with her purse and cell phone, and slid slowly out of the car.

Once she felt pavement below her feet, she leaned forwards and closed the car door behind her. Then she meandered towards the door, dragging her bag carelessly behind her. Once inside the homey inn, she made her way up to the front desk to a very disgruntled looking nearly bald man.

"Hello," she plastered on her best fake smile, hoping her eyes weren't blood shot from her tears.

"Hello and welcome to the Independence Inn," he mumbled out in an extremely strong French accent, "How may I help you?"

"Ah, check it," she mumbled, "Lorelai Gilmore," she began rummaging through her purse in search of ID and credit card.

"Ah, here you are, Lorelai Gilmore room thirteen. I do hope you aren't superstitious."

"Ah-ha!" She pulled out her wallet, producing her ID and credit card, "What was that?"

"Number thirteen, superstitious! You don't get it?"

Lorelai nodded, "Oh, yeah, sorry, I just didn't hear you right I guess. But very funny, Mr. French man, guy, dude, what is your name?"

"It's foo-foo-head," he deadpanned as he grabbed the ID and credit card she held out in front of her. "Alright, you should be all set, Ms. Gilmore." He handed back the ID and credit card, "Now this is your room key," he handed her a key, "And you should be all set, so bye-bye now."

She grabbed the key from him, "Why thank-you Mr. Foo-foo-head," she managed in a thick yet extremely fake southern accent. She shoved her ID and credit card back into her purse, then walked off in the direction of the rooms.

Seconds later, she found her room, the so-called unlucky thirteen, and walked inside. It was a nice sized room, not to small, but not too big either. It was just like in that Three Bears story, 'just right'.

She dropped her bag besides the bed, then let herself fall onto its soft mattress, letting the blankets surround her in an inanimate hug. And then, dropping her famous smile, she let the days events show.

* * *

_I hope everyone liked how they reacted, and nobody was too over dramatic or anything (that's always been one of my pet peeves, and if I've done it, please inform me immedently!)_

_**Updates up ASAP  
Please Review.**_


	5. Four: Faking it

_Sorry, minor case of writers block has plagued me recently. And when I say minor, I really mean minor. _

_Thanks again for all of the reviews, it has been so great to see how many people are reading and enjoying this fic. You guys are so nice over in this section! lol. I think I'll have to hang out here more._

_Anyways, wanted to make a little mention about the style of writing. For this story I really wanted to bring across Lorelai and Rory's characters more, hence the random rants off into nowhere. So hopefully, everyone can follow. It made sense to me, but I'm kinda crazy so sane-ness isn't exactly apart of my genetic make-up. _

_Any who, I'm done with that now. Hope you enjoy the chapter._

* * *

_"Having children makes you no more a parent than having a piano makes you a pianist"  
(Michael Levine)_

* * *

Lorelai rolled over on to her opposite side, so that she could face the phone. She said she'd call him. She always did when she was away, and same with him. It was that comfort in routine that was probably keeping her with him. Without him, there'd be no routine to follow and she'd, once again, be hopelessly lost.

It was nearing eight, she probably should call. He'd begin to worry otherwise, and him worrying would throw off the routine.

She reached over and grabbed the large black phone from the nightstand and placed it besides her, stretching the cords to their limits. She lifted her finger up into the air and began dialing the familiar digits once again.

He picked up within two rings.

"Hello," he answered coolly. He was always so calm and composed, while she was and would always be a car wreak just waiting to happen.

"Hey, baby," she whispered back, hoping her voice didn't give her away. "How was your day?"

"Boring. Even the Stevens, you know, the ones upstairs, I didn't hear a pep out of them. They must be on vacation or something. Usually they're so vocal. I miss the 'stupid bitch' 'ugly bastard' arguments. It's like a soap opera for free. Well, if you try not to think about the rent and all that kind of stuff."

Lorelai smiled faintly, "You're rambling," she teased.

"Yeah, well, I get it from you, babe."

"Not my fault that you're so enamored by me that you feel the need to mimic my most adorable traits. It's the only explanation."

"Sure thing. Anything happen to you in Mayberry? Did Barney arrest people for pulling those U-turns again? And did the town drunk make it into lock up okay again? I always worry about him."

"Things were pretty dull around here too," she lied, "Not even a citizen's arrest from Gomer Piles. Can you believe it?"

"Oh, you have got to be kidding. And here I expected you to come back with stories all about how Sheriff Andy and Deputy Barney Fife took down those villains who dared pull a U-turn in their town!"

She forced a soft laugh, "Sorry to disappoint. But I hear Opie's planning' on leading the boy scouts in their annual parade tomorrow."

"Well you'll have to take a lot of pictures for me."

"How could I not!"

"So, besides, the very disappointing lack of involvement from the fictional town Sheriff, anything else happen? Get pulled over again?"

"Nah, nothing. It was a boring drive, just as it will be the same boring drive on Saturday. Just minus the Christian Rock power hour for three hours straight!"

"Ah yes, I thought I fell over something this morning. Did it happen to be your forgotten CD collection?"

"And you didn't run after me and hunt me down by going car to car just to give me those CD's. I should really look into getting me a new live-in boyfriend. Maybe Mr. Steven's form upstairs is looking to join an exchange program."

"Yes, how dare I, how will you ever forgive me."

"Oh, I'll think of something," she teased as she continued to lie and pretend everything was okay. Lorelai had mastered the art of lying to others a long time ago. But some days, it was hard to separate where the lies ended and the real Lorelai began.

And she wished that one day, she could forget that they were lies and, like everybody else had done years ago, believe her.

* * *

Rory ran to the only place she knew she could find an impartial shoulder. As soon as that clock hit six, she grabbed her bright yellow book bag and ran for the door like she was being chased by a slew of rabid dogs or something. She didn't even bother taking off her pale pink apron, with the bright yellow daisy iron-on she had added a couple of months much to Luke's dismay. He had claimed that now it was a girly apron and when she finally left for Harvard and gave it back to him permanently he would have to hire another girl or an extremely gay man. She had suggested one of the ones from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, sooner or later they'd be looking for work and what's better then frolicking around a diner in a pale pink, daisy-decorated apron.

He hadn't appreciated the sarcasm. He continued to point out the fact that she had accidentally dyed it pink the first week she had it, and he'd forgiven her for that, but the daisy was just too far. Rory had just responded with a small smirk and said accidentally, of course. I would never do anything like that on purpose. I still have no idea how that damn red sock ended up in my wash.

But right in that moment, she didn't give a damn about the apron. And that was new for her. And she couldn't stop thinking about the great apron debate, as she liked to refer to it as, as she bolted across the Town Square towards the Kim's household/antique shop.

Once outside, she practically ripped open the front gate and then continued her mad dash straight to the door, ultimately using her momentum knock rather loudly on the front door. Mama Kim was not going to appreciate that knock. She'd probably find a bible verse on it and then shove it in Rory's face for the next twenty to twenty five years. In fact, Mama Kim had really made a mistake denying her true calling to be some Middle Eastern European Prison Guard and becoming an antique saleswoman. Although, she was quite good at that too, Rory couldn't deny the true talent Mama Kim had to even make stone cold Taylor cry every once in awhile.

Within seconds, the door slowly, or at least to Super Rory slowly, to normal people it was probably at a normal pace but she was in no state to make such a determination, and Lane popped into view.

"Rory? I thought you had to work tonight," Lane started in, but Rory cut her off before she could finish any more on that thought.

"I met my birth mom. Actually Luke met her, I just ran into her by accident. I might've yelled at her a little, events are kinda fuzzy right now, is that a bad thing? Cause I heard that it is. I'm only fifteen."

"Rory," Lane tried to butt in, but with no success.

"Well, practically sixteen in what? Two, three days? Is it two or three? What day is it? Oh my god. My memory's gone! Harvard won't take me now!"

"Rory!"

"The memories the first thing to go. Oh my god. I'm turning into an old person! Hey, hey, Lane, do I look pale? Sickly? Near death in any way?"

"Rory!" Lane clapped her hands together, jarring Rory out of her rant for the moment. "Listen to me, you're not going to die of old age. I thought you were the smart one, you have to be old to die of old age, and let me tell you, in no time was fifteen ever considered an elder. Trust me. I've actually paid some attention this year."

Rory nodded, "But,"

Lane held up her hand sternly, "Secondly, you are going to sit down because you're only freaking yourself out and freaking me out by extension, and I can only handle one freaking out person at a time, do you understand?"

No response.

"Nod if you understand."

Rory nodded slowly.

"Okay, take my hand, and we're going inside to find you a chair. You can have any chair. We have a lot of them," Lane grabbed Rory's hand and lead her through the house, "Except that chair, it's near the end for it, mama will kill you if she sees you in it. She thinks it will break the second somebody sits in it. Sadly I agree, but I have seen many a chair like this sold so apparently people are really that stupid."

Rory nodded, "I can't believe it."

"What? That people are stupid, cause I was only kidding. Not all people are stupid, just most." Lane stopped in the kitchen, allowing Rory a second to sit down in one of the awaiting chairs by the table.

"No," Rory shook her head, "I met my real mother. I really met her."

Lane's expression softened, "Yeah, you did, didn't you." She pulled up another chair to the table and sat down, "What was she like? I know you talked over the years about possibly meeting her or something, but your parents seemed dead set against it, anyways, that's not important, what's important here is that, well, was she like you imagined?"

"Sorta. I didn't really get to talk to her. I mean, really talk. Luke did. But he didn't want to fill me in on anything. Actually he didn't want me to work. Something about being or maybe feeling too emotional. I donno, whatever it was, I told him that I was working cause it was my shift and to just drop it!"

"And I see you left right from work by that absolutely fabulous fashion statement you are making right now," Lane motioned to the apron.

Rory jerked her head down, "Oh, I forgot about that. Luke will probably wonder why I didn't leave it like I normally do. Probably thinks I'm up to something again."

"Yea, he has gotten quite suspicious about you and your apron bringing home habits. It seems that somehow, someway, something new keeps popping up on yours the same weekend you take it home to clean it."

Rory smiled faintly, "Yea, this is totally freak him out. Cool."

"See it's not that hard to smile," Lane teased.

Her smile grew a little, "He seemed kinda guilty or something today. Who knows what's up with him. Kinda the drawback to having a monosyllable friend. You never really get to know those juicy details that make a story. Unless he's ranting, cause then you find out more then you wanted to know."

Lane nodded, "Maybe he felt guilty about talking to her. I mean, I know you said that you yelled at her and stuff, and your parents never really seemed to keen on the idea of you two meeting, and he is pretty good friends with your parents so many he thinks he's supposed to hate her or something. Not flirt with her."

"Why do you think he was flirting?"

"I donno, it just painted a really funny mental image. Monosyllable man flirts. I mean, just the sound of it sounds like some cult comedy movie from like the sixties or something."

Rory cracked another small smile, "I'll make sure to look for it next time I'm in a movie store. And if nobody's made it, pack up, cause we're moving to Hollywood with that idea, baby!"

Lane smiled, "California here we come," she began singing softly, "Da, da, na, na, I don't know the words," she continued in rhythm, "But I know Mama Kim would totally approve of me knowing this song."

"Well knowing is being used very lightly, but otherwise I think you have yourself a hit with that."

"Dang, we'll be a double threat. Music and Movies. We'll be the new J.Lo's. Just minus the whole Benifer thing. That was just embarrassing to all mankind."

Rory nodded, "Agreed."

"So, do you want to tell me what happened, or are the details still a little fuzzy?" Lane asked softly, changing the conversation back now that Rory had calmed down some.

"She was, well beautiful."

Lane nodded, knowing better then to interrupt just yet.

"And she looked a lot like me. Well, of course, stupid, she's your mom, well, your birth mom, cause I guess that my mom is my mom even if I didn't actually pop out of her I popped out of this stranger, and now I'm blubbering on about nothing. Did that last little part even make any sense? My mom is my mom. What kind of sentence is that! That is not a Harvard sentence!"

Lane stuck out her hand again, "Rory, Rory, breathe. I need you to calm down, okay? That's why we are in these chairs. In the Kim household so you cannot do anything stupid."

Rory nodded, "I just said the most awful things to her. Well not awful in the content, but in the delivery. I was just," she paused looking for the right adjective, "mean."

"Whatda mean?"

"Well, I never really gave her a chance to explain herself. I just went for the throat. And I yelled. And cried. I don't remember ever crying in public like that before. I mean, she was already down. She was crying before me."

Lane nodded again, waiting for the right moment to speak again.

"I mean, in my head that conversation went so much better. I mean like Hallmark card or ABC family movie better. Air Bud had nothing on the goodness of my endings. Disney could not touch my envisioned endings!"

"Yea, but you were also how old when you imagined them?"

"Well,"

"Rory, let's face it. The woman has been out of your life for almost sixteen years. She hasn't bothered to contact you once, and your parents' obviously didn't want you to meet her, so maybe, well, you should listen to them. Maybe they know something about her that you don't, and are just trying to protect you in every sense of the word."

Rory nodded, "I know, you're right."

Lane smiled, "Just don't let the whole obey your parents thing get out, I've got an image to maintain."

"I guess, I just want to know, well, stuff. I mean, my parents said that they named me Lorelai after one of their family members. And then at some function or another, somebody messed up and called me Rory by mistake, and it kinda stuck. And as interesting and creative a story as that is, Rory is kinda far off from Lorelai, don't you think? Somebody would have had to have had to messed up bad. And I mean _bad_."

"Do you think that maybe you're birth mom named you or something?"

Rory shrugged, "I donno. Maybe! I just want to know these things! I want to see if I'm anything like her, you know. Maybe clear up some things."

"Roots," Lane summed up.

"Yeah, I want to know my roots."

"But at the same time you don't want to talk to her?"

"Precisely."

"Well that could go round and round for quite some time," Lane pointed out, "Both sides have strong pro and con arguments," Lane paused, "Wow. Never thought that debate class would actually pay off."

"I've been thinking about this for hours," Rory mumbled before she thumped her head down on the table in front of her, "And my brain hurts."

Lane smiled faintly, "Well, hun, you know I love you, but I can't make this decision for you. I know you know that."

Rory mumbled something incoherent.

"Just sleep on it. Maybe talk it over with your parents. They might know something. Besides that, I'm just an opinionless shoulder."

Rory lifted her head a little, "How thoughtful," she mumbled before banging her head back down.

Lane stood up and walked over behind Rory, wrapping her arms around the other girl's small frame from behind, "Hey, you know I'll be here if I feel the need to talk this out some more. I'll sneak a phone up tonight. No sleep for me! Sleep is for the weak! And I am Lane! Super-friend!"

"Glad to have you around, super-friend Lane."

Lane released Rory from the hug, on account of the fact that her back could no longer take staying in that position any longer, "Any time, Rory," she smiled.

Rory lifted her head up and looked at the clock, "I should get home. Mom and Dad are probably worried by now. Kirk's probably out looking for me now."

"Oh, is he doing Police work now too? I thought you had to have some training for that."

"No, no, he's doing missing person and/or family pet finding. Didn't you get the flyer?"

"Must have missed that one."

"Really? It's a shame. It had a really great picture of him dressed up as Sherlock Holmes on it." Rory stood up from the chair, "Really, we should have it framed. It's a classic."

The girls walked back towards the door, "Do you still have a copy?"

Rory nodded, "I'll bring it to school tomorrow."

Lane opened the door, "Good deal."

Rory nodded, "See ya tomorrow," she forced another fake smile onto her face as she walked out the door, apron still attached to her hips.

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

**_Updates up ASAP.  
Reviews are not only welcome, but encouraged. lol._**


	6. Five: Rory

_Wow. I woke up the next morning (or rather later that morning, I posted a like 2 AM...don't mind me and my noctournal habits) and I already had a good ten to twelve reviews in my mailbox. And more just kept comming. I couldn't believe it. You guys are just so awesome! _

_**BeautifulButterfly: **To your chapter four comment--I'm glad you're picking up on that fact (that Lorelai isn't strong because she never had to be when she was younger). This idea was taken from (I'm pretty sure) a season three episode where her and Luke were talking about the Inn and whether or not she should venture into owning her own Inn. And she was scared, and wasn't sure if she should do it, and Luke pointed out all the stuff she did in the past, but she argued that was because she had to do those thing and owning her own inn was something she did not have to do. Thank-you for the reivews. You're awesome._

_**Once Upon a Whim: **I'm glad I caught you. I am a java junkie kind of gal, but I haven't decided whether or not I want to include a major java junkie part in it. I will probably just stick with the hints and undertones for this story, but look out for java junkie-ness my next one! I'm glad you liked the way I did end up taking the mother/daughter interaction, it was the best way I could think of that would make sense for their characters. Thank-you for the review. Sweet name, by the way._

_**Britt: **Mr. Foo-Foo head came to me on a whim. I'm glad someone else understands and finds my rather odd sense of humor to be funny. I'm mature, really, I promise! Thanks for the review._

_**Kyizi: **I'm glad you decided to read my fic. I know what you mean though about the almost not reading certain fics then ending up reading them and loving them. I do that at least ten times a month and end up finding some of the most amazing fics out there. And, don't take this the wrong way, but I'm so glad I almost made you cry! (Wow. That could be taken really wrong out of context...lol). People are really taking to this fic, which is such a relief because I wasn't sure how open this part of the site was to AU-ish fics (which are my speciality). But I'm glad I decided to post it. _

_To your chp. 5 review, I was really trying hard to make sure their thoughts and dialouge mimicked the same sort of random pattern that is shown in the show. Thank-you for the reviews. Next time I'll warn you if you might possibly need kleenex by your side. _

_**Pokey: **Thank-you. This is really one of my first (I have one other in-progess and a oneshot-ish thing) gilmore girls fic, and I wasn't sure if I had gotten the characters right. But thank-you so much. You're my hero!_

_**Amelia: **Yay! I'm phenomenal! Thank-you! You're the awesome-est. _

_**Ozluv04: **I'm glad I could get you intrested, and I hope I don't let you down. Thanks for the review._

_**Ely: **Thanks for catching that and for the road map. I'll have to go back and fix that soon. _

_**Epona: **Thank-you for both of your reviews. I'm glad you're liking all the different aspects of my fic. _

_Also thank-yous go out to: __**Estick, Phoebe4u, LukeNLorelaifan, ProfesSer, Mrs. Scott Patterson, Rusty Bedsprings, Katie, Rita LaTasse, Pofostfbeyeluvr, Bloomin Dasiy, NeRdSaReAwEsOmE, **and **Jewel88**. Some for you for both chapter four and five! _

_Alright, now that I've finished that (oh god that was a lot of responding to do!), on with the chapter that you were probably tricked into thinking was very, very long. lol. I'll shut up now._

* * *

"_Mort is trying to write but nothing comes to him, he looks at his dog, Chico_ I'm open to suggestions"  
(Mort, _Secret Window_)

* * *

Rory bounded into the house a good twenty minutes late, and landed straight into her parents worried, verging on angry depending on the reasoning, looks. She slipped off her backpack and set it down next to the door and then walked the rest of the way into the living room where her parents both sat.

"Giving you the benefit of the doubt here gets harder and harder every time you're later, Ror," her father reasoned, taking off his jet black glasses and beginning to clean them.

Rory shifted her weight nervously, he always cleaned his glasses when he was about to punish her or just have another one of his 'serious discussions' with her. Neither of which was for up for tonight. "I'm sorry guys, just, well," she was trying to find the best way to phrase things, "A lot of stuff happened today."

"Rory, that still doesn't change the fact that you came home nearly twenty minutes late," her mother complained, "It's not that we mind, it's not like you came home at like one in the morning, it's the fact that you didn't even bother to call like you usually do, sweetie."

"I was at Lane's, sorry. I just needed a impartial ear to help me figure some stuff out."

"You know we're always here, honey," her mother cooed, "You can tell us anything."

Rory cringed slightly. Somehow she figured that her parents didn't want to hear this, among other things. Parents were best kept in the dark. For best results they should be lied to constantly and only let into the light for special occasions, like weddings. Your wedding, or weddings depending on the situation or just your celebrity-like tendencies, will always be good time to let your parents see you do something like drink alcoholic beverages.

"Rory?" Her father jarred her from her own thoughts again. She really could be the leader of the Space Cadets. "Something on your mind?"

She looked to and from both of her parents, mentally debating if she should mention the meeting or if she should risk someone else, generally Babette or Miss Patty, bringing the meeting up to her parents. Maybe she should just ease them into it, sorta ask a bunch of generic questions then drop the bomb.

"Rory?" He repeated.

"Yeah, I was just thinking today, y'know, about my, y'know, my birth mom." It wasn't a complete lie, she had been thinking about her birth mom today. She just left out the details of the extent of the thinking.

"Rory," her mother sighed, "We've been through this."

"I know, I know, but don't you think it's important that I at least know something about her. You guys spent time with her, you could let me in on a little something!"

"She was young. Sixteen or seventeen, I think," her mother said shortly.

"I already knew that. That's what you always tell me when I ask you anything about her."

"Why the sudden interest," her father interjected before her mother could jump in with another argument of why she shouldn't know anything about her birth mother.

"What?" Rory tried to play it cool, "There's no sudden intrest. There's always been interest. Just something happened today that made me think about her. And I was all like 'you know what, mom and dad haven't really told me much about her, maybe I should try again and this time they'll tell me'. Not sudden in the least bit."

"Listen, Rory," her mother butt in this time, "What's important is that we are your parents. I don't know why you have this crazy idea that this woman, who by the way has never tired to contact you once, is so terribly important to you. Just drop it, alright?"

"I met her today!" Rory spat out, "That's why the interest sparked again, dad! I met, and when I say met, I mean that loosely, it was more like I saw, my birth mom and I yelled and the whole town saw it, so that will probably be a topic of discussion at the next town meeting, so yeah, there you go, that's the truth."

"Rory," her father's tone was threatening, "I don't want you to speak to that woman, you hear me? She's bad news and I don't want you around her."

"She's my mother," Rory whispered her last defense out, "Shouldn't I be able to get to know my real family?"

"This is your real family," he said shortly, "And this is your mother," he pointed at Allison sitting across the room, "I don't want to hear anymore of this nonsense, you hear me?"

Rory rolled her yes, "Yeah," she walked back towards the door and picked up her backpack, before storming upstairs to her room. She didn't know who she was more mad at now, or even what reason she was mad for.

"Don't you want dinner?" Her mother shouted after her.

"Not hungry!" Rory shouted back before walking into her room and slamming the door behind her.

While Lane's advice sounded good at the time, somehow both girls had forgotten to factor in her parents' personalities and anti-tendencies towards Rory's birth mom. And she still hadn't figured out where she stood on the whole issue. On one hand it was her birth mom, and it was her roots. But on the other, was the fact that the woman didn't seem to want anything to do with her, and that was hard to overlook.

With a heavy sigh, she let her body fall down onto her small bed, letting the massive amounts of pillows fall around her fail body. She reached out towards her nightstand, and prepared to call upon her last ally in the decision front.

Her hand fumbled for a few minutes, trying to remember exactly where she had left the phone, then finally she left the cold, hard plastic underneath her fingertips. She grasped the hot pink phone, and pulled it back towards her body, refusing to sit up. This was not a sitting moment. This was, if there ever was , with the minor exception of physical exercise, a laying down moment.

She punched in the familiar number quickly, and brought the phone up to her ear.

"Be home, come on," she mumbled softly to herself as the dull ringing continued, "You gotta be home."

He picked up, "Hello?"

"Dean?" Rory asked, making sure somebody else didn't pick up his phone or something. It was always embarrassing when some other member of the family picked up and you start ranting or make some stupid inside joke before you realize that it's not the person you thought it was.

"Yea, Rory is that you?"

"Yea, you busy?"

"No, why?"

"I really need to talk to you, you mind letting me rant on you?"

"Rant away."

Rory smiled faintly. He was always like that. Always so amazing. "I met her."

"Met who?"

"My mom. My birth mom that is. Apparently I already have a mother that's good enough, and not to say that she isn't and that I don't love her or something, because I do, and she's a great mom, it's just she's not the lady I popped out of!"

"Interesting way to phrase it. Don't think I would have ever picked those words to describe birth, but, sorry for interrupting your rant, continue."

"And I don't know what to do? I mean, should I try and contact her again? I mean, we totally met by accident. Complete accident. You see, she was drinking coffee and Luke, according to Lane, but this is in no way a proven fact, was flirting with her, and I just walked in. And as soon as she turned around. As soon as I saw her, I knew it. I knew she had to be my mother. And I didn't know what to think, I mean should I have hugged or something? Isn't that what they do in the movies?"

"Yea, I guess, so," Dean answered.

"I just, don't know what to think. Maybe I handled it all wrong. Maybe my parents are right. Maybe the movies are right! I don't know!"

"Rory," Dean interrupted again, "You know I can't answer this for you."

She felt her heart sink a little, "I kinda figured that."

"But whatever you did, however you handled it, I'm sure it was the right way to do it. Because that's how you felt, right? I may be going out on the limb here, but Hollywood doesn't exactly follow the rules of real life too well, now does it?"

"I guess not. I just," she sighed, "I just want to know stuff. And my parents won't tell me anything except for the fact that she was young when she had me."

"Maybe it's best not knowing."

"Yeah, maybe." Rory sighed softly, "But what if I see her again? What if she's actually staying here and I see her again? Should I run in the other direction, jump into a trash basket, pretend I'm a tree or some other form of shrubbery, go and hug her, yell at her some more?"

"Well, while I approve of the acting like shrubbery idea, I think you should do whatever comes natural to you. I can't make this decision for you, and neither can your parents, or Lane, or even Kirk who is apparently trying to be a physic now. He tired to read my palm on the way home from work tonight."

"What happened to the finding missing things business, not going so well?"

"Oh, no, no, he say's that's going fine. Found Timmy's lost GI Joe action figure this afternoon, was quite proud of it, too. He's just decided that fourteen billion jobs isn't enough and wanted to add one more."

Rory smiled faintly, "Good to know Kirk's still being Kirk."

"So, you good?"

"I hope so. And you know what, I may never even see her again. She might have just been passing through, we get a lot of those people, y'know. And I'll never have to see her again, so all this worrying will be for naught. Sort of a _Much Ado About Nothing_ kind of thought pattern."

"Wasn't that play about love and stuff?"

"Yeah, but we're going with the title, work with me here. I'm no good at references when I'm ranting like this."

"Well, I'm glad we've got that settled. Now, what do you think about going out tomorrow night? You up for some shrubbery re-enacting fun?"

"Ooh, ooh, I call tree!"

"No, I wanted to be the tree!"

Rory laughed softly, "I'm never gonna live that comment down, am I?"

"Remember how long those fish jokes went on for after the fishing experiment of '99?"

"Oh god."

"Well, probably longer then that."

"You're cruel."

"Yea, just for the halibut."

* * *

_If I have any JAG fans out there (I still can't believe it ended! Now what will I do on Friday nights?), you'll probably recogize the 'just for the halibut' line borrowed from the second to last episode. But it was just so cute, I had to add it in there! _

_And for those of you who, like me, are non-fish people, a halibut is a type of fish. Don't ask me what type because I don't know. Go ask one of your fish friends. Not actual fish though, they won't be much help._

**_Updates up ASAP.  
Please Review._**


	7. Six: Speech

_Wow. Keep those amazing reviews comming, you guys are the best! A note though, a lot of people asked about Rory's parents in that they might be a little too controlling. This was intentional. You guys have to remember that this is Lorelai's dream, and she is going to imagine parents that are opposite, more tradtional, and possibly worse (in her eyes) for Rory. And before people start asking me about this, I do know that Paris never went to Stars Hallow High. But again, Lorelai's dream. Paris has been present in Lorelai and Rory's life since high school, so it makes sense that in Lorelai's dream Paris might appear. _

_Anyways, none of that was meant to be taken harshly. I like to clear things like that up, because apparently I come off bad some of the times when I'm writing this stuff._

_**Phoebe4u: **You don't get JAG? That's so sad! It's one of my all time favorite TV shows! Anyways, thanks for the review._

_**OzLuv04: **Thank-you. I've been wanting to do the quotes thing for quite sometime now, because I think it really adds a little something extra to the chapters and to the fic in total. So, I ran all around the internet finding random quote sites and finding different themes and put them all together in one huge word document under different headings (ex: family, love, etc). I'm glad people are liking them as much as I do._

_**Kyizi: **It's the whole nature vs. nurture debate thing again. Like how Lane, dispite all the things her mother taught her and how she was brought up, turned into a completely different person then what her mother had envisioned her to be because that is who Lane is. Rory is always going to be Rory, no matter how much a person tires to supress it, and that's what I'm trying to show. Thank-you for the review, and I'm glad you found my shubbery joke amusing. _

_**Potostfbeyeluvr: **Dang that's a hard name to spell. And yea, I'm keeping Dean nice. This is taking place right when the show started, which I know doesn't make sense for Dean to be there in the show verse, but just go with the whole dream thing agian. But, in the begining, before Jess turned him into jealous pycho-man, he was just this really great guy which is how I'm gonna display him._

_**Elizabeth-Intheblue: **Ah! I'm so glad to finally find another JAG fan! What about that ending? That was cruel. It totally fit with the show, and was a good way to end it, but still! Mean, mean, mean! I just hadn't realized this was it's last year! Why didn't anyone tell me! And then the week before they were all like 'and the finial episode...' and I was like "What now! Slow down there, partner!"_

_Anyways, I'm ranting. Thanks for the review. _

_**Harmmac82: **Yay! Another JAG fan! Well, the last seasonis awesome, per usual, and enjoy!I just might have to move to Sweden and watchit all over again. Thanks for the reivew._

_**Once Upon a Whim: **I promise. Luke and Lorelai action in my next fic. Who knows? I might even bump it up to an M (is it M now? They've totally lost me with this new rating system...it used to be so easy!). Glad you're enjoying the fic, and hope this does your vision Lorelai's craziness justice. Thanks for the reivew._

_Also thank-you's go out to: **Pokey**, **Estick**,** Luken'Lorelaifan**, **ProFfesSer**, **Jewel88**, **Daphnetjuh**, **Epona9009**, **Rusty Bedsprings**, **Beautiful Butterfly**, and **Yrag**._

* * *

"Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."  
(_Casablanca_)

* * *

The mini bar was another thing she had to add to her fare-weather friends list. That and Long Island Ice Teas. They always seemed like such a good idea at the time, then BAM! Hangover city, population: Lorelai.

And she was supposed to give a speech! And those kids were relentless! Such high and squeaky voices! Damn puberty! Didn't Lucifer hear that she would be giving a speech today and already had a massive hangover and to hold off on the fun and games until she left! Or perhaps slide her a "get over your hangover free" card. Either one sounded good at the moment!

And all she wanted was another cup of that heavenly coffee from that diner. Luke or Duke or something diner. But she couldn't go back there! Not after that scene! Hell, she was surprised she hadn't been chased out of town by an angry mob with pitchforks and torches.

But then again, she had always had a flair for the dramatics. Maybe they'd just settle for chasing her out of town, the whole pitchfork and torches thing was way over used.

"Would you like anything else?"

Lorelai jerked her mind back into focus. It was that annoying parent again. Deb or Debbie, she couldn't remember which one to call her. But she was there, it was hard to miss all of that blonde hair, but somehow Lorelai had managed to block her out for a few seconds while she continued her mental rant.

"Ah," she looked down at her empty coffee cup, "Can I get another cup of coffee?" She had to focus, hangover or no hangover. She had to give that stupid speech in a couple of minutes, students were already starting to file into their seats as she just sat like an idiot in a rather uncomfortable chair at the front of the class.

"Sure thing, Ms. Gilmore," she smiled brightly as she took the coffee cup straight out of Lorelai's hand. "You know, I still can't thank-you enough for doing this!"

"Oh, it's no big deal," Lorelai tried to sound casual, "The paper does these things a lot."

"But this will help the kids so much, y'know. They're about to start in on their junior year, and that's the year that really counts, remember?"

"Oh yea, I remember my junior year," she practically sang out. How could she forget the year of fat ankles and odd stares? The year of giant parental clashes and labor. The year she pelted nurses with pointless ice chips.

Deb/Debbie, she really had to learn this woman's name, laughed musically, "I just love looking back on my high school days so much! They were so much fun!"

"Yea, fun," Lorelai tried to sound excited, but some how her voice fell flat.

"Anyways, back on topic here! The students will really appreciate your guidance and advice," she paused for a moment, and looked around them, "Just watch out for one girl. Blonde. Front row. Exact middle seat. Named Paris. She's quite the firecracker, let me tell you!"

"Hey, thanks for that," Lorelai looked back to her still empty coffee cup being held captive in the woman's hands, "Hey, how about you just show me where the coffee is, I'm gonna need an IV of it anyways, so that might just be easier."

Deb/Debbie, why could she not remember that, smiled and laughed again, "Oh, you! You're our guest. I'll go and get you your coffee!"

"Oh," Lorelai tried not to sound disappointed, "Yea, thanks for that."

"Anyways," she pointed at the clock, "It's almost time for class. How about you just wait until after the speech, that way you can go and get some coffee from this diner across the street. Great place. Amazing coffee. And the owner isn't too shabby to look at either," she added with a wink.

"Oh, yea, that place," Lorelai tried to sound indifferent, but her insides were screaming 'coffee!' at the sound of the diner again, "I think I saw it on the way in yesterday."

Before Deb/Debbie could continue to taunt Lorelai's stomach with the promise of amazing coffee, the bell went off, followed by the stamped of students into the classroom, filling up every seat. Lorelai's eyes wandered over each of the students as the teacher went on to introduce her and so on. Then her eyes fell on one girl. She felt her heart stop.

It was her daughter. Lucifer, it seemed, hadn't quite finished his fun with her quite yet. Next would come a parade of her ex's, followed by Emily and Richard dearest.

They both stared at each other, both looking with the same fear combined with that same hint of sadness in their eyes.

"Lorelai Gilmore!"

Clapping.

Lorelai jerked her head away from staring contest and back towards the teacher, whats-her-name. She had been introduced to the teacher as well as Deb/Debbie. But the pounding in her head took priority to learning other's names.

Lorelai forced on a rather weak-looking smile, as she stood up from her chair and walked over to the front of the classroom.

"Alright, Ms. Gilmore, they're all yours!" The teacher smiled broadly, before turning and walking back to sit behind her desk menacingly.

"Right, erm, yeah, hi everyone," Lorelai made out awkwardly, "I'm Lorelai Gilmore. I work for the New York Times. Good newspaper. You should all read it sometime. Good journalism stuff."

A hand shot up in the front, center. She was supposed to remember something about that girl. Something. Eh, it probably didn't matter.

"Wow, questions already," Lorelai mused, "Sure go ahead. Ask away."

"You must be pretty successful at your job, correct?" The girl spat out in a very straight to the point, I don't want any bull, I could make Barbara Walters cry sort of way.

"Well, yes, I've done pretty well for myself."

"And as a woman," she continued her line of questioning, "Did you or do you ever feel as though you are not appreciated in the workforce as much as you're male co-workers?"

"No, no, never anything like that. There was this one girl though,"

"That's a nice _Mean Girl's_ story, I'm sure. But I'm sure I speak for the entire class when I say that we've all seen it," she cut her off, "How long did it take you before you caught you break and landed a job working for the New York Times?"

Lorelai thought about it for a moment, counting back the years in her mind, "Well, I worked for an obscure paper just outside of the city that mainly delt in reviewing the Broadway productions for a couple of years until someone at the times read some of my articles and found them amusing, handed them to a higher up, and well, here I am!"

She nodded, "How long did it take to get the job at your first newspaper?"

"I got it just out of college. You see, a lot of these obscure papers read the college papers to see what new talent is out there, so most journalists are picked up right of college."

"Interesting," the girl stopped talking. Lorelai breathed a sigh of relief, the girl was like an interrogator. And not you're nice cop interrogator, your bad cop from some third world country with a fascist dictator kind of interrogator.

"Do you have any regrets?" The girl finally spat out again.

Lorelai jerked her head forwards in surprise. It was like the girl was reading her mind or something. "Do I what?"

"Do you have any regrets? Did you not do something that now you wished you had done, or did you do something that you now wish you hadn't done?"

"I, umm," Lorelai found her eyes falling back onto Rory in the back corner. She was doing her best to disappear, but how could a kid of Lorelai's disappear? It's scientifically impossible. She licked her lips nervously.

"Don't make me get a dictionary out," the girl threatened.

"Yea," Lorelai breathed out, her eyes locked on Rory, "Yea I can think of something."

Rory let up a small smile, and Lorelai returned the easy-to-miss grin with a small nod of her head.

"Yo!" Paris snapped her fingers twice, "I'm over here! Hi, remember me?"

Lorelai jerked her head back towards the girl in the front, "Oh, yes, sorry, did you have any other questions?"

"Paris, maybe you should let other people ask some questions," the teacher warned. But it didn't matter to Lorelai. She wasn't really listening too intently anymore. And she couldn't get that goofy smile off her face.

Her kid smiled at her. Her kid didn't hate her. She still had a chance. She could still fix this.

* * *

An hour and several questions from center, front row girl, who Lorelai could still not remember the name of, and the bell finally rang, drawing her speech making to a close. Not that she had made much of a speech. She had issues tearing her eyes, or her mind for that matter, away from Rory. Deb or Debbie would probably have something to say about this, but frankly, she didn't give a damn.

"Well, that was," Deb/Debbie started talking, and ranting on about something, but Lorelai's eyes were trained on Rory who stood just a couple of feet in front of her, glancing down at her feet nervously.

Lorelai held up her finger, "Just a second there, Deb," she took a guess on the name. She walked over to Rory in a trance, unable to take her eyes off of her little girl, Deb/Debbie's words just completely ignored.

"I'm sorry about yesterday," Rory blurted out, "I just didn't know how to, well, how to, I donno react to you I guess."

"Well, you had a mighty fine reaction, let me tell you," Lorelai forced a joke, but it fell flat. Both girls looked at each other nervously, one opening their mouth, then finding nothing to say, shutting it. Then the other would do exactly the same thing just a few seconds later.

"Sorry again," Rory repeated, breaking the silence, "I shouldn't have yelled."

Lorelai shook her head, "No, no, it's okay. Hey, if our roles were reversed, I would have yelled too."

Rory nodded, "So," she breathed out nervously, "Did you mean it? What you said, I mean?"

"About regrets?"

Rory nodded, "Yea, do you regret it?"

Lorelai nodded, "Yea, of course I do."

Rory smiled faintly, "Do you wanna," she pointed over her shoulder, "Get some coffee or something? Luke has amazing coffee, did you try it yesterday? It's like an addicts dream that stuff."

Lorelai smiled, "Well that clears up any doubt that you are not my child," she teased.

"What?"

Lorelai pointed to herself, "Coffee junkie. Can't live without the stuff. If it came in IV's, I would walk around with one of those little IV holder things."

"So you wanna go?" Rory put on her backpack, and sort of half-turned towards the door.

"Now?"

She nodded, "Yea, why not?"

"Well, don't you have school?"

Rory shrugged, "It's okay. I'm at least two chapters ahead of everyone in this school already, I'm not missing much. And besides, this is more important."

"Two chapters?" Lorelai repeated, half-laughing, half-shocked "Dang, I knew you'd probably have brains, but I never imagined this!"

"Not my fault people around me are stupid," Rory laughed.

"Miss Gilmore!" Deb/Debbie shouted, her voice finally reregistering inside of both of the girl's heads. "You can't just take a student out of school with you!"

Lorelai shrugged, "I'm not taking you, am I?"

Rory shook her head, "Nope, as far as I see it, I'm skipping and you just happen to be going to the same place I am."

Lorelai smiled again, still unable to rip her eyes away from her daughter. "I can't believe I listened to my parents," she mumbled out loud.

"Alright then, Luke's it is," Rory announced as they both walked out of the classroom, ignoring the calls of both the teacher and Deb/Debbie.

And as Lorelai walked out of that classroom, her daughter at her side, for the first time in her life, she felt content. Before she always wanted something else. A new coffee maker. A new apartment. A promotion. A steady guy that loved her. None of these things had ever filled the void.

But something as simple as a sixteen year old girl, with the same blue eyes as she, filled the spot within seconds.

* * *

**_Updates up ASAP.  
Please Review. _**


	8. Seven: Of Coffee and Conversations

_Wow. I know I keep saying that, but dang. I just broke a hundred reviews, again! (I just went through that with another one of my fics, which was the first one to break a hundred reviews, but still, it's just so great even a second time around). And that hits thing! I love it! I broke a thousand a couple of days ago! It made me so happy. lol. Thank you all, you guys are so awesome. _

_**Amelia: **Hope this was fast enough for you and your karate skills. lol. Glad to finally see someone show some humor in their reviews! I'm sure I confuse the heck out of people sometimes with my train of thought when writing a review, but whatever. lol. Thanks for the reivew._

_**Once Upon a Whim: **Glad, well, everyone liked the school meeting thing. I've had that planned out since the start, and have been dying to write it in there! lol. Thanks again for the review._

_**BloodyMary2: **Still unsure if I really want major java jukie-ness in this, but I know the next fic I write will be a full on java junkie adventure. lol. For this story, I'll probably just stick with undertones, but hell, I don't know what I'm doing. I'm pretty much making this up as I go along with very few exeptions. Thanks for the review. And your name, reference to the popular adult beverage or the actual Bloody Mary that killed Hapburgs? Just been wondering recently._

_Also thanks go out to: **LukeNLorelaifan**, **Rusty Bedsprings**,**Gillygirl777**,  
**Sucker4soccer**, **Bloomin Daisy**, **Kyizi**, **Katie**, **LorelaiAkaCoffeeAddict**, **Phoebe4u**, **Beautifulbutterfly**, **ProFfesSser**, **Pokey**, **Penny**, **Miss-Lionesse**, **SR918**, **Ozluv04**, and **potostfoeyeluvr**. Sorry if I either misspelled your name or forgot it for some reason. _

* * *

"Turns out not where but who you're with that really matters"  
(Dave Matthews Band)

* * *

"So, how long are you gonna be in town for?" Rory tried to make casual conversation as the two girls walked side by side into Luke's diner, causing many stares and double takes as they went. Stars Hallow was as small as a person could get, outside of fiction of course. And in a small town, news travels fast. 

"I'm supposed to leave tonight."

"Oh," Rory tired not to sound disappointed, but her face gave her away. Or rather, those big blue orbs that Lorelai couldn't stop staring at. Her baby had her eyes. They hadn't changed. She'd read some where that baby's eyes could change colors after a few days or a few years in some cases.

"But I could stay longer, maybe," Lorelai added, "I don't have much of anything important back home right now." Lair. She had a mountain of paper work and Alex to think about. But this was more important. This is where she wanted to be, and she hadn't felt like that in years. And it may be selfish, but for once she was going to be happy. Consequences be dammed.

Rory nodded, a small smile taking over her features, "All right, if you can," she tried to sound nonchalant as she opened the door to the diner, causing the bell to go off.

"Be right with you!" What sounded like Luke, yelled from the back of the diner, possibly from the kitchen or storage area, whatever was back there. She'd have to ask sooner or later. Maybe she could get a tour or something, she just had to make eyes with the owner guy. And not mention Alex. Or mention it to Alex for that matter. After all, Luke wasn't bad looking. And she didn't see a ring on his finger yesterday. No signs of a girlfriend that she could see. She wouldn't mind spending some time with him. Not at all.

"So, this is where I work after school. Pay sucks, but the company's easy to make fun of," Rory explained with a small grin. "He still hasn't gotten over the apron dying experiment of '99."

Lorelai turned her attention from her thoughts back to her daughter. Her daughter. That felt weird to say, or even think about for that matter. They walked over to a small table in the back, away from a window, it was better not to have any spectators for round two, and took a seat.

"What color did you dye it?" Lorelai finally asked after being situated at the table.

"Pink, duh," Rory picked up the menus and handed one to Lorelai. "What other color could I dye it? Pink is the new green after all, I mean it was all over the new Vogue," she added with a grin.

"Of course, I should have known," Lorelai smiled as she nodded her head slightly. "I should have remembered my Vogue mental notes. I mean, I made mental notes to throw out like half the stuff in my apartment because it just didn't fit with the new style of the season. And how could I own out of date clothing and have an out of date apartment. That would be just disastrous."

"Of substantial proportions," Rory nodded back which then created a head bobbing competition between the girls, and who wants to talk during a head bobbing competition? That is some pretty important stuff there.

"So," Rory stopped bobbing her head back and down. "I gotta stop bobbing my head because it's making me dizzy," she added with a nervous grin.

"Yeah," Lorelai followed suit. Now they just sat and stared at each other, subconsciously comparing features of each other's face. Subconsciously, but not subtly.

Rory had Christopher's ears, but everything else in the face was Lorelai territory. Her mouth, her nose, her eyes, everything screamed Lorelai Gilmore. Even the nervous way Rory bit her lip, that was her. That was all her.

She felt a small, almost somber smile taking over her lips. This was her little girl. This was the moment she had been waiting for. Preparing for. This was it. And she couldn't think of a single thing to say. Not even a cheesy Hallmark line. She was completely blanking out on every single movie reference, hell, she was pretty shaky on the entire concept of a movie in general right about now.

Lorelai let out a soft, un-lady-like sort, "This shouldn't be this hard!" She let her hands come down and bang the table loudly, causing stares again from the other people in the diner.

"I know!" Rory agreed with a laugh, "I mean, it's not like we're different species or something!"

"But even Captain Kirk could make small talk with alien species!" Ah, the Lorelai brain was coming back, slowly but surely. It was a Trekie reference, but it was a reference. Just let her get warmed up. Then, BAM! You're brain will become so overloaded with references that you just won't know what to do.

"Well, he is Captain Kirk, and we can never aspire to be as great as him," Rory said with a sly smile. Lorelai felt her smile grow again, her kid got her referencing personality. She finally found someone who could keep up with her. The perfect partner in crime!

"So, how old are you?"

Lorelai laughed a little, "Wow, straight for the kicker questions, huh? Don't like giving me any lead in," she teased, "Well, I was sixteen when I had you, do the math."

Rory shrugged, "My parents never really specified how old you were, they just always said 'she was young, about sixteen or seventeen maybe'."

Lorelai's expression and her mood suddenly sombered, "Didn't you get any of my letters?"

Rory jerked her head back, "Your what now?"

"My letters. I sent like fourteen billion zillion of them to you. And I'm sure in the first one that I gave your parents at the hospital, I said I was sixteen and tried to explain my actions. They were supposed to give that you to by now, you never got it? I mean, I was kinda doped up at the time, so I might've handed it to the wrong person, but that's a pretty big screw up."

"You wrote me letters?" Rory repeated, still in a state of shock.

"Yea, kiddo. I wrote you every chance I got, I just figured you never wanted anything to do with me or something."

Rory shook her head slowly, "I can't believe you wrote me letters," she repeated again. "Was it like a 'You've Got Mail' type of deal where you never identified yourself and used an Alias or something? And I just thought you were a creepy stalker maybe! Or I guess in a more realistic word somebody trying to sell me something."

"No, kid. I didn't try to trick you in any way. I always wanted you to know me. I mean, I wanted to take you myself in the first place, but my parents practically put iron bars on all the doors and windows in our house, so I couldn't get away. But for those first few months, it was always you and me kiddo." Lorelai turned her head away a little, and laughed to herself, "I guess in my head, it's always just been you and me. The dream hasn't changed, I just realized that it could never happen in a non-Disney universe."

"What about my father?"

Lorelai turned her head back and let out a small laugh, "Still unfit for fatherhood. The guy left me high and dry so many times, including the hospital. God, he showed up the next day for like fifteen minutes to look at you and say 'she's pretty'! Don't get me wrong, you were a gorgeous baby, I know I'm biased like a French Judge, but you were absolutely perfect and this idiot shows up, points and say's 'pretty'!"

"So, you're parents made you give me up, then?"

Lorelai nodded, "Worst decision of my life," she muttered. "They said I would be losing everything by having a baby so young, but now just sit around wondering what life would have been like if I had just taken the plunge, you know?"

Rory nodded slowly, "I think I understand what you're saying."

"Rory!" Luke shouted from across the diner, "Aren't you supposed to be in school? I mean, you left for school this morning. I know you did. Because you left me alone with Biff and Buffy sitting at the counter making eyes at each other!" He ranted on as he walked towards their table, order pad in one hand, pencil in the other.

"Yep, I know Luke," Rory said calmly. "Sorry about Biff and Buffy though. But I thought you might be able to handle them yourself. I did leave you a nice little barf tin, didn't you notice?"

Luke looked between Rory and Lorelai, "Wait, wait, wait a second! When did this happen?" He pointed at Lorelai. "Last time I checked you were crying," he said to Lorelai, "And you were we're screaming," he said to Rory, "But," he paused, "You know what, I don't want to know," he turned and walked away, "This town is insane. I should know that by now. It's just one big out-patient service."

"Coffee please," Rory sang to his retreating form, completely unfazed by Luke's rant and de-rant.

"Uh," Lorelai mumbled out, "Same here." She leaned in closer to the table, "What is with him?" She whispered to Rory, "It was like he was on top of the bridge ready to jump, and then starts talkin' to himself and talks himself down from the jump."

"Interesting analogy," Rory responded normally, "And you get used to it. It's just Luke. There's no better way of describing it."

Lorelai nodded and pulled back to her seat. "Alright, so, you may reserve the right to continue questioning later, but right now it's my turn, okay?"

"Works for me."

"What's you're favorite color?"

Rory thought about it for a moment, "Too many to pick from. They'll all great. With the exception of the cutesy Crayola names like 'tickle me pink' and of course the just sickening colors."

Lorelai nodded, "Agreed. I don't want to be tickled pink. I just want pink," both girls let out a small smile at this agreement. "Boyfriend?"

Rory nodded, "Yeah, Dean. He's great. We've been dating for almost two years now."

"Can I meet him or is he your secret boyfriend that you only tell about to estranged biological parents that show up at your school outta nowhere?"

Rory laughed, "No, no, it's totally cool, you can meet him. It's kinda hard to have a secret boyfriend or girlfriend or I guess a secret in general in this town. You see, we have the twin terrors of gossiping, otherwise known Miss Patty and Babette. I'm sure our little scene yesterday is already all over town today. You'll probably get some weird looks, and depending on their rendition of the moment, food and other small objects thrown at you."

"Oh goody," Lorelai deadpanned. "But you know what, I did get some pretty weird stares back at the Inn. I thought I was just imagining them in my non-coffee infused, hangover state, but now that I think about it," both girls let out a small laugh.

Luke interrupted again, as he walked back over with two cups of coffee. "Here's your coffee, it'll kill ya, but enjoy."

"Quite the sales pitch you've got goin' on there, mister," Lorelai teased. "You should go public with it. I can see the commercials now: a young couple sitting at one of these fine tables, then a grumpy guy in plaid wearing a backwards baseball cap walks over to them and throws coffee in their faces. As soon as it touches their faces, something strange happens to them and then suddenly they just keel over and die right there at the table, mid 'no, you're prettier'. And then at the bottom of the screen it flashes your slogan, followed by 'Come to Luke's Diner!' at the end. It's genius."

Rory lifted up her cup, "Here, here!"

"Oh god, there's two of them now," Luke mumbled underneath his breath, but still had a small, visible grin about his face.

"Thanks Luke!" Rory sang out again, before taking a long sip of her coffee.

"Thank-you!" Lorelai followed suit, but hers included a stupid grin on her face that probably didn't get pasted Rory. Just give them a moment alone, she'd hear about it. Thank God Alex wasn't here. That could possibly be disastrous.

"Favorite music?" Rory asked, a sly grin on her face. She definitely hadn't missed the stupid grin.

"All the good stuff, of course! It's gotta be rock baby. And not that Christian Rock, cause let's face it, that's just an oxymoron. I'll explain, Christian equals Jesus, Rock equals devil. The devil was Jesus's nemesis, although I could be mistaken. It was kinda hard to learn at bible study when you were kicked out on account of participating in non-Christian actives."

"Non-Christian actives? Elaborate."

Lorelai pointed at Rory, "It's all your fault. You got be kicked out of Bible study."

Rory smiled, "I'm sorry, how could I do such a thing?"

"Well you were a little trouble maker, even in the womb. I bet you just run around this town reeking havoc all the time," Lorelai teased.

"This is good," Rory stated simply, taking another long sip of her coffee.

She didn't even have to explain. Lorelai knew exactly what she was talking about. She smiled brightly back at Rory, "Yea, babe. This is very good."

* * *

**_Updates up ASAP.  
You know how much I heart me some reviews._**

**_(and a new sense of humor won't hurt, either)  
(lol)  
(I crack myself up!)_**


	9. Eight: Seth

_Sorry, I did get a little distracted by my other fic, but I really just had to get some java junkie out of my system. I mean, it's fun doing the undertones and all, and it makes sense for the fic (which completely bugs me when people put things in their fic that don't make any sense and you sit there and go 'what now' and try to think of any possible reason why this person would stick such a phrase/event/character in their fic...sorry, rant over), but I just had to get it out of there, y'know? Before I did something stupid. _

_So, you guys have again been so wonderful in your reviews. I'm really glad that you guys are starting to come over to the AU side...the dark side if you would (sorry, just saw the new Star Wars...heh)...and read this. I know I keep saying that, but it's so true. It's hard finding an AU fic on this part of the site, and a decent one at that (no offense people, I'm just picky about my reading...I turn down a lot of professional authors, believe me, that is nothing to be offended by). And here I am at 129 reviews (that's the most I've ever gotten:happy tear:). Anways, on to the thank-yous (because I think it's important to give back, I used to go and review the people that reviewed my fics, but that's just gotten too time-consuming and well...sometimes people who aren't the best writers review your fic and you can't be a bitch about it...so you tend to point out things like: that line was kinda funny, and your idea is pretty original and so on.)_

_**Amelia: **Yes, you're Kar-a-tay (holy FRIENDS reference, batman!) does seem to be a great motivator towards updating. I hope I'm not in for an ass-kicking anytime soon. Perhaps some Ungani? (I'm sorry, if you really don't watch FRIENDS, and then you probably just think I'm mentally unstable, I'm not really, thought I might clear that up...heh..). Here's a joke for you: What's black, white, green, and red all over? _

_beat._

_Two cows fighting over a piece of celery. (cue insane amounts of laughter and clapping). Thanks for the review._

_**Epona: **I confess to having that school meeting planned out from the start. That's really the main reason I wanted Paris in there because I really saw Paris being the one to ask that question in particular. And yes, Alex is the same Alex from the show. I really did think that out of her line-up of guys they were probably the most likely to meet randomly in NY, and they were pretty compatible (minus the whole fishing thing), and I thought he might fit for the story. It was sorta like a Max thing, y'know? But I couldn't think of a single possible senario in which Lorelai could have met Max without Rory, so y'know. Thank-you for the reivew. _

_**Kyizi: **Glad to have that effect over you. lol. Thanks for the review. Hope you can stand this chapter! lol. (And I do know what it's like to make the little squealing noises...I have done it on some occasions, Luke and Lorelai's frist kiss for example, andthank god I was alone or else I would have never lived them down). _

_**LLjunkie: **When I first came up with the concept, my goal was to do something completely different from that you guys are used to seeing. It's my rebel child-like tendencies. And I know that Lorelai working at the Times is shakey, but I kinda figured I needed a way for Rory to automatically relate to Lorelai and having the jouralism aspect in there was sort of a way for Rory to see that they were alike and so forth. And I really do want to stick some Luke and Lorelai action in here, I really, really do, but I just don't see it working for the characters in this situation. Maybe as likea thank-you kiss at one point, but it wouldn't be anything romantic. I think I'll end up just sticking with the undertones for this one. But watch out for future fics! A hell of a lot of java junkie commin' at ya! lol. Thanks for the review. I'm glad I'm not the only one who rants! _

_**IzzPuppy: **Where do you get your quotes from? You never put down an exact place. I ended up looking all over the internet on various sites for quotes, took me forever. And I'm always looking to add more, I somehow just keep lacking that perfect quote sometimes and I have to stop everything and go and look for it. Takes forever! lol. Thanks for the reivew. _

_**Muffin is Injured: **Ha! You've returned! lol. This will sound strange, but I'm glad people are hating the parents...it was kinda what I was going for there. Just the little control-y things that were really the opposite of Lorelai's parenting style. Anyways, I tired to stay away, really, really, I did...but I just couldn't do it...I had to update...it was like there was this little monkey on my back all the time...I couldn't sleep...I couldn't eat...I just keep thinking I have to update, I have to update...(lol). Thanks for the review. You kick ass, and it's awesome to hear from ya. _

_Also thanks go out to: **xX luke and lorelai xX**, **Phoebe4u**,** LukeNlorelaifan**, **ProFfeSseR** (did I finally get that right:crosses fingers:), **Beautifulbutterfly**, **Daphnetjuh**, **Rusty Bedsprings**, **Once Upon a Whim**, **CDJ**, **FoxyWombat **(hilarious name by the way), **Winnifred Smith**, **Katie**, **Javajunkie219**, **Rory Forester**, **Yrag**, **Bloomin Daisy**, **Rita**, **Sucker4soccer**, **pOnDeReSqUe**, and **Pokey**. Again, if I missed your or mis-spelled your name (:hack: ProFfeSseR :hack:), I am really sorry but my typing skills and my attention span suck. _

_Whoo. Now that, that's all taken care of. And you thought I wrote an extra-long chapter, didn't ya? lol. Sorry to dissapoint, but it's an average sized chapter, folks. _

* * *

"Here I sit, much determined ever ill-equipped to draw this curtain"  
("This Grudge" by Alannis Morissette)

* * *

"So how long do you think they'll sit there?" Kirk asked quietly to Luke, Babette, and Miss Patty who had all slumped together in a little huddle next to the counter, eyes trained on Rory and her biological mother. 

"Well, they got into it pretty good yesterday, I mean Rory was screaming at her and acting like I've never seen Rory act before!" Miss Patty exclaimed, "I was so shocked! But can you blame the girl?"

Babette nodded, "I almost wanna go over there and give that woman a piece of my mind, ignoring Rory like she has this past sixteen years. And then she just shows up here, what a nerve!"

"She didn't just show up here on purpose," Luke commented, "She was here to give a speech at the high school or something. And, from what I could gather from their conversation, Lorelai has tried to contact Rory over the years but never got through to her."

"Must have been Seth and Alison. They never were too keen on that girl if I remember," Miss Patty commented, "I remembered them going on about the girl they were adopting the baby from a couple of weeks before the adoption took place."

Babette nodded in agreement, "No kiddin'. I remember hearing them talking about how they didn't want Rory to know the mom and stuff. Sad thing really."

"Shame," Kirk agreed, hanging his head slightly. "But it made for good gossip, didn't it guys?" He added with a small grin and the quick whip of his head back to its normal position.

"Hell ya," Babette cheered, "And since then, there's been nothin' good happenin' around right, right Patty?"

"You're darn tootin'. Finally some entertainment," the three turned back to face the two girls in the corner, necks craned in an attempt to hear every word.

Luke just rolled his eyes, "Jeez, would ya get a life?" He mumbled to all three of them. They just held up their hands to shush him up.

Luke rolled his eyes, but all the same didn't move from their huddle. He may not vocally, or for that matter usually, condone their tactics, but this was different. This had to do with Rory.

* * *

"Favorite worst movie line?" Rory asked through her laughter. Apparently they had a lot in common.

"Nobody puts baby in a corner," Lorelai said in her mock Patrick Swayze voice, leading both girls into another round of giggles. "What about you? What's your favorite worst movie line ever?"

"Well it's pretty hard to top _Dirty Dancing_, unless of course it's _Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights_."

"Oh, but of course. I mean, the end of that movie the girl was dancing like a slut and her parents were just standing there cheering her!"

"Oh yea, they were all like 'yay! My daughter's a slut!'. And they were taping the whole thing!"

"Worst two hours of my life, well besides _Steel Magnolias_. I sat in the theatre screaming 'I want my life back' until they kicked me out of that one."

Rory laughed, "No, you didn't!"

"Have you not seen _Steel Magnolias_?"

"Good point. Alright, favorite worst movie line ever besides _Dirty Dancing_ would have to be," she thought about it for a moment, "Oh, being in love means never having to say your sorry," she said in a mocking tone.

Lorelai started laughing, "Oh, god, that line makes no sense!"

"I know!" Rory laughed, "Sad movie, though. We probably shouldn't make fun of it," she added in a much more somber tone.

Lorelai nodded, "Yeah, but the line's just too horrible not to make fun of. I mean who were the writers on that thing?"

Rory smiled, "I say we hunt them down, and knock some sense into them."

"And if they're dead, then we'll dance on top of their grave."

"Hey, Rory! It's almost four!" Luke called from some where on the other side of the diner. "Just wrap things up, okay?"

"Sure thing, Luke!" Rory called back, not even bothering to turn around and yell it in his direction. "My shift is starting," she explained.

"Oh," Lorelai looked down at her watch, "Wow. We've been here a long time." She would be late calling Alex. Well, actually she was already late, but he would anticipate her lateness and would be expecting her to call in the next few minutes. But, strangely enough, she did not feel the urge to take out her cell phone and make that exact call at the moment.

Rory nodded, "Yeah, yeah we have," she smiled, "And it was good. Definitely good."

"Well except for the whole skipping school part of it. I probably shouldn't have condoned that, but what the hell," Lorelai laughed, "You live only once, right?"

Rory nodded, "Yeah, yeah," she darted her eyes from her coffee back up to Lorelai sitting across from her, "So are you gonna, umm, stick around?" She tried to ask casually, but her nerves showed through like a stripper in a church.

Lorelai nodded, "Yeah. For a little while anyways. Nothing to do. And I'm gettin' pretty hungry, and I am in a diner, so," she lied. She almost amazed herself at how easily she did lie nowadays. In fact, she almost convinced herself once that she was happy with her life. Almost being the key word.

Rory shook her head, "No, I mean, are you going to be here tomorrow?"

"I could possibly stick around for a couple of days," she smiled faintly then added, "That is if you still want me to stay."

Rory nodded happily, "Yeah, yeah, I want you to stay."

"Alright then, you go get your shift started, and I'll just move up to the counter and get somethin' to eat, how does that sound?"

"Like a plan."

The girls stood up from the table, causing the rest of the diner to suddenly turn their heads in the opposite direction, Rory grabbed her backpack from besides her seat and pulled out the infamous, color-changing apron.

"Ah, the apron you were telling me about makes an appearance," Lorelai commented with a sly grin, "And smiley faces always work well with daisies," she added with a wink.

"Yeah, Luke probably thinks I've added some more crap to it, but reality was I just forgot to take it off last night. Brain fart." Rory tied the apron around her waist, and walked over to the counter and tossed it over the top.

Lorelai gave Rory another warm smile, having finally run out of things to say, then she picked up her now empty coffee cup, and then made her way over to the counter. No use taking up a two-top table when there was only one of her. And this way, she could interact with Luke a little more. It may not have been an Alex-approved activity, she was curious, and it was just an innocent conversation between two random people, and that's not against the boyfriend-girlfriend codes as far as her knowledge went.

"Hey, Luke, can I get another cup of coffee?" She asked as she sat down on one of the stools, giving another dazzling smile.

"What is that you're fifth one?"

Lorelai blinked. "Are you keeping count?"

"I tend to notice when people start drinking insane amounts of coffee. Or any other substance for that matter."

"Well then, you missed your calling and should have been a bartender."

"What?"

"Bartender. You know, keeps track of how many beers you've had and cuts you off when you're having trouble staying on the stool."

"Have you actually had this problem in the past, or is that just some kind of example?"

Lorelai rolled her eyes, "It's an example." She held out her coffee cup, "Coffee?" She asked sweetly, "Please?"

Luke gave her a look as he filled back up her glass. "Junkie."

Lorelai just smiled, happily sipping down another cup of her beloved coffee. For once content to just sit there and drink coffee as, out of the corner of her eye, she watched her daughter busy herself with work. Her daughter. She could never get over that. Sure it had been sixteen years, but now she had a face to go with the phrase. Now it just felt more real.

Rory was now busy talking up a storm with some customer, an Asian girl happily chomping on a hamburger like it was her last meal.

"Hey," Luke whispered to her, "Lorelai."

She turned back towards him, "Yea?"

"Just don't," he sighed, "Don't screw with her, okay?"

Her smile fell. He didn't have to explain. She just took another long sip of coffee, as she mulled over possible responses ranging in emotion. Then she darted her eyes back over to Rory and the mystery girl she was talking too. She looked so happy. Like when she had just first walked into the diner yesterday and hadn't seen Lorelai sitting there, just waiting to ruin her day.

"I know," she finally whispered out.

Awkward pause.

"She's a good kid," Luke supplied.

Lorelai felt another flicker of a smile come back on her face. "Then she didn't get a few of my more charming personality aspects."

Awkward pause.

"Look, I went to school with Seth and Allison. They've confided some things in me about Rory that have bothered me, yeah. But, no matter what, my loyalties will always lie with them, okay?"

"Understood."

Awkward pause.

"But, umm, I do want to," he cleared his throat, "Well what I mean to say is, that I do want to,"

Lorelai looked up at him, "Be friends?" She supplied with a slight grin on her face.

"Yeah. That's the one."

"Me too."

"Alright then. It's settled." He smiled back, locking eyes with her. It was the kind of moment that if it where in a movie would have some sort of slow-moving, romantic orchestra ballad or some old cheesy love song playing softly in the background. The kind of moment where the people in the audience are screaming 'kiss her, you idiot!'.

It was, put into the simplest terms, a moment.

But, like all good moments, this one was shattered by a bell and the sounding of, "Hey Luke!" as some guy walked into the diner.

Luke cleared his throat, and looked up and away from Lorelai, "Oh, hey Seth." He said rather uncomfortably. This would be the moment in the movie where the audience would be screaming 'run away you idiot!' at the top of their lungs.

"Sorry, was I interrupting something?" He asked, motioning to Lorelai.

Luke shook his head, "No, no, you're fine. Just—ummm—well, Rory's over there talking to Lane!" Luke directed, pointing across the diner.

"Hey Dad!" Rory smiled, "Whatcha doin' here?"

"Actually, funny thing happened today," he sort of chuckled, "I got this phone call from the school saying that you left school after first hour with the speaker or something? I told them it was a load of crap, but y'know, I still have to check."

Rory lowered her head a little, "Dad, I mean, me missing school isn't that big of a deal, y'know. I'm already so ahead, it just,"

"Wait a second," he interrupted, "You're telling me it's true?"

Rory nodded slowly, "I'm sorry, I just,"

"It's my fault," Lorelai interrupted this time, "It's not Rory's fault, Mr. Grayson." She felt weird addressing him so formally. But she couldn't very well disobey Miss Manners so openly. Somehow, someway Emily Gilmore would find out. Using her weird, physic-like abilities, she'd know. And Lorelai would never live it down.

He turned to face her, "And who might you be? And why are you taking my daughter out of school without my permission?"

Lorelai forced a chuckle, "Well you see, it's kinda funny and ironic once you think about it. You do know me, from way, way back, except when you knew it I had these like gigantic ankles and I was like," she held her hand out as far away from her stomach as possible, "Way out here, so y'know, I guess I could understand why you don't remember me and stuff."

"Wait. Lorelai Gilmore?"

She nodded hesitantly, "Hey, you remembered!"

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"You see, that's the funny part. If you think irony is funny, I guess. You see, I work for the New York Times, and my boss likes sending me out to all these high schools to talk to teens about the future and stuff and I just so happened to turn up at Rory's school," she forced another laugh, "You see, it's funny?" She nudged Luke, "Right Luke, just really, gosh darn funny."

He forced an even faker laugh, "Yeah, Seth, real funny stuff. When they told me that I just couldn't stop laughing it was that funny."

"Wait a second Luke, she came here instead of going to school? And you didn't send her back?" Seth, apparently still trying to grasp on to the situation.

"Look, Dad, it wasn't Luke's fault, okay?" Rory stood up from her chair and walked over to the three adults, "In all actuality it was my fault. It was my idea to leave school."

"Rory, just stay out of this okay," Seth said shortly, "I'll talk to you when we get home."

"Dad," she tried again.

"Rory!"

"It wasn't their faults," she mumbled quietly.

"Listen, Seth, let's talk about this upstairs, alright?" Luke offered, "All of us," he looked over at Lorelai, the biggest flight risk at the moment.

"Fine," Lorelai threw her hands up in the air, "Whatever works best for you two."

"It's probably for the best," Seth agreed. He turned back around to face Rory, "And don't think that you're off the hook yet, Ror."

"Yes, sir," Rory responded flatly. Lorelai shot her a sympathetic look and mouthed a small 'I'm sorry', hoping that Seth wouldn't see. Apparently he wasn't a fan.

"Alright then, upstairs!" Seth turned back around and headed up the stairs, leaving Luke and Lorelai to follow on their own.

Luke gave Lorelai a sympathetic look, "Look, if you want to run I understand," he offered. "I wouldn't want to go up there if I was you."

Lorelai shook her head, "No," she responded simply, then added for a touch of her classic flair, "I've always been stubborn as hell anyways."

His face brightened a little at this, "Okay then, I'll see you up there, then." She gave a small nod just before he turned, lifted up the curtain, and disappeared up the same flight of stairs that Seth had gone up earlier.

"I'm sorry," Rory started.

Lorelai cut Rory off with a shake of her head, "Don't be."

"Encouraging," she offered with a weak smile.

"Well, it's all I got at the moment, give me a couple of minutes and I might be able to do better," Lorelai offered back the same weak smile. "And whatever he has to dish out, it was worth it. You are worth it."

Rory's fake smile grew into a genuine one, "I guess I'm not sorry, then. I wouldn't want to take it back."

Lorelai smiled, giving her daughter one more encouraging nod of her head, before she turned and walked up the same flight of stairs. Things had suddenly just gotten a bit more complicated. And here she thought things couldn't get more messed up then they already were.

Silly her.

* * *

_**Updates up as soon as I can manage.  
Please Review. Let's brake 200, shall we? lol. **_

**_(I really am normal, I promise!)_**


	10. Nine: Truth Hurts

_Very short chapter, I apologize, but it just seemed a good place to end it. Well, you'll understand the 'it' when you get down there. This fic is slowly winding down, just two or three more chapters to go (and I actually know what's gonna happen)! Most likely, just two more chapters. Then off like The Flash to my next project, whatever that will be! _

_(Back to serious) Thanks to:_

_**Rusty Bedsprings: **You are my new hero. Totally and completely. I love you to death (well not actual death because let's face it, if you really liked someone you'd probably want them to stick around and well not die, so that whole concept of loving someone to death is a little messed up). Hope this was soon enough for you, babe! Thanks agian for all of your wonderful reviews._

_**Epona9009: **I agree with you. I wanted Digger to go die in a hole. And I don't wish that fate on many people. And I hadn't thought of the Alex calling senario. I might have to stick that in there, if you don't mind. I can credit it to you, if you want, but I really like that idea. I just kept sticking him in there for another reason why Lorelai and Luke couldn't get together. Thanks for the reivew._

_**Muffin Is Injured: **Dang you can rant! I'm jealous! I thought I was a top notch ranter, but I'm nothing compared to you! Teach me, Yoda! lol. Thanks for the review. You always make me laugh. _

_Another round of thanks go out to:**Beautifulbutterfly, ForsakenGoddess,Potostfbeyeluvr, Karahbella, Izzpuppy, Bloomin Daisy, orangesherbert7,****LittleGGlover, Yrag, LukeNlorelaifan, Once Upon a Whim, Miss-Lionesse, ProFfesSeR, Pokey, Rita, Kyizi, **and last but not least, **Sucker4Soccer. **You guys are so awesome. I wish I could respond to every single one of your reviews, but, alas, I am lazy. Don't take that the wrong way, I love you all. Some of your guys are regular reviewers, and that hasn't gone unnoticed. You'll definitely get a little note at the end of this, promise! lol. _

* * *

"Survival of the fittest is the law of nature. We deceive or we are deceived. Thus, we flourish or perish. Nothing good ever happened to me when I trusted others. That is the lesson."  
(Faye, _Cowboy Bebop_)

* * *

Rory just stared blankly at the curtain. Her mind was a complete mess. Not to say that she had been thinking very clearly over the past two days, but she was pretty sure she'd gotten a pretty decent hold on it this morning. Apparently, she was wrong.

Things she could have said or always wanted to ask kept coming to mind. Questions like was she ever going to see Lorelai again, or just questions she could have asked Lorelai in general were also popping up. Then things like why did her parents hold such a grudge against her birth mom. Why she hadn't been allowed to see her, or talk to her, or even read her letters. Things that she should be entitled to know.

Somewhere, in the middle of the chaos, she heard Lane ask, "You okay?"

Rory just shrugged, "I don't know," she answered honestly. "Besides feeling like this weeks headline news, I really just don't know who's side to take."

Lane nodded, "She seemed nice." Lane commented, trying to keep the conversation going. "And she looked a lot like you."

Rory turned back to face Lane, smiling faintly, "She did, didn't she?"

"And from what I could see she shares your coffee addiction."

"Probably where I got it from."

Lane just nodded, and stayed quiet, having sufficiently run out of small talk at the moment (besides the traditional, 'so just look at this beautiful weather we're having' comments).

From upstairs you could start to hear the beginning, muffled sounds of an argument. Every head in the diner was turned upward, waiting, just waiting for either party to get angry enough for their voice to carry through the ceiling. This was Stars Hallow after all. Without gossip, what would they have for entertainment?

"I asked you one thing!" Lorelai's voice came through loud and clear, causing every single person to stop what they were doing and crane their necks up a little higher. Miss Patty was already pulling out her phone in the corner, just in case.

"What are you talking about?" Seth yelled back at her, "What 'one thing'?"

"I asked you to name my kid Lorelai! So that she could have this little, teeny, tiny, piece of me, and you promised you would! But you named her Rory! And you didn't even give her my letters! You cut her off completely from me!"

Rory felt her stomach drop onto the floor. And she had the sinking feeling she wouldn't be getting it back any time soon.

Lane grabbed her friend's hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "I'm here," she whispered into Rory's ear.

Rory squeezed Lane's hand back, her non-verbal way of telling Lane that hadn't left the building just yet. Although, verbal communication wasn't exactly something that was coming very easily at the moment.

"She already has one mother!" The argument continued upstairs between Seth and Lorelai. Apparently Luke was just there to referee.

"Well if Heather can have two mommies, then I think Rory can deal with the fact that she as two different non-lesbian moms!"

"There was a reason we got rid of your letters! Didn't you get the picture! We didn't want you in our lives! She doesn't need you!"

"She came to me! She wanted to talk to me!"

"Which is a point we still haven't agreed on yet! You took her out of school in the middle of the day without our permission! And Luke! Luke you just let that happen!"

Luke's muffled voice could barely be heard in the diner. They could hear sounds, but none of them could be formulated into words. Then, the unthinkable happened. And the term unthinkable is being used in the sense that the person that committed the following act must not have thunk, yes, thunk, a single thought before execution.

The actions seemed to unravel in slow motion. First Kirk dropped his hamburger, an even more confused look on his face then usual. Then he stretched his neck out, just a little further, so that he looked similar to a giraffe, but that's not the point. He got that gleam in his eye. The 'I'm so confused I have to ask' gleam.

Jackson, who was sitting next to him, noticed this particular gleam, and dropped his sandwich, and opened his mouth in surprise. He shook his head vigorously, and made a lunge for the pint-sized town weirdo, but nothing could have prevented Kirk.

"What?" He shouted up the stairs, just as Jackson's body came in contact with his on, and tackling him in the ground.

Everyone shot their heads from Kirk back to the upstairs, waiting for any sort of sign that what had just happened didn't carry upstairs.

"What was that?" Lorelai's voice was heard first.

More muffled noises, followed by footsteps and a door slam.

Everyone else in the diner managed to give Kirk a dirty look, one that inspired fear of what was to come in the future, before returning to usual diner activities, acting like nothing had happened. The kind of look that made people want to stay in wide open, highly populated (witnesses were always a good thing to have around) spaces, only in the daylight hours.

Jackson jumped up off of Kirk in a flash, "Don't you ever insult Sookie's cooking again, Kirk!" He yelled angrily, trying to cover up what had just happened.

Kirk muffled something in response, but remained on the floor.

The curtain flew open, reveling a very angry looking Luke, followed by even angrier (which was hard to imagine, but in this case possible) Lorelai and Seth.

"What else didn't you tell me!" Rory screamed at them, tears running down her pale cheeks. The entire diner fell silent for the third time within two days time, "Was my father some kind of Prince of some far away country! What else did you deem unfit to tell me, dad!" She jumped out of her seat, pulling Lane up with her by extension.

Lane squeezed her hand again, "Rory, calm down," she tired, "Let's just go back to my house and talk this over, okay?"

Rory jerked her hand away, "I don't want to talk this over! I want answers! Did this entire town know that I was named Lorelai after my birth mom? Did they know that she tried to contact me, and you wouldn't let her, dad? Does everyone else know everything except for me! Huh?"

"Rory," Seth tried softly, his anger taken completely away, "Don't do this. We were going to tell you, really, we were."

"But somehow it just never came up!" Rory shouted back at him, "How am I supposed to believe that! You never wanted me to meet her! You always told me that she had never once tried to contact me, when you knew very well that she did!"

"Rory," Luke tired this time.

"Don't, Luke," she warned, "I don't want to hear it! I'm upset and I don't give a damn who knows, all right!" She yelled before breaking into another fit of tears.

Lorelai pushed past both Luke and Seth angrily, and ran over to Rory. "Hey, kiddo," she whispered to Rory as she grabbed the girl in her arms. "Shh, it's okay," she rocked Rory's shaking body back and forth, "Just cry it out, okay?"

"Hey! What are you doing!" Seth complained from across the room.

Lorelai shot him a glare, "I'm doing what nobody else had enough sense to do, alright? The girl's upset, and she's got a damn good reason to be."

"You're not her mother anymore."

"And I don't have to be to give her a hug," Lorelai shot back just as harshly.

Seth stomped over to Rory and Lorelai, "Come on, Rory. We're going."

"Jesus! Hasn't the girl been through enough yet!" Lorelai shot back, "Just give her a minute, okay!"

"No," Rory mumbled out from Lorelai's shoulder, "Just go away, Dad."

Suddenly the room felt a lot colder. The air a lot thicker.

Although, the biggest change was in Seth's demeanor. In a flash he went from angry 'you're going to get a big lecture when we get home' to, well, hurt, surprised, shocked, any of those adjectives probably wouldn't even scratched the surface of what he looked like. Perhaps, the best way to put it, was that he looked like a man that had just had his heart ripped out, stomped on, and then used as a soccer ball by David Beckham, but was somehow still alive.

"All, all right then," he breathed out, "If that's what you want," his words were heavy, his eyes glazed over, but he did his best to hide them. He turned and walked the rest of the distance to the doorway stiffly, just trying to keep it together long enough for him to go someplace private. He opened the door way, the bell shattering the thick silence that had engulfed the diner, "I love you, Ror," he said right before walking out the door and back out into the street.

And it was in that moment, that look on his face, that Lorelai Gilmore began to understand his reasoning.

* * *

**_Updates up ASAP.  
Please Review. _**


	11. Ten: My Choice

_Alright, second to last chapter! Can you believe it! It feels like I just posted this fic. Well, next chapter Lorelai will be comming out of her dream, and who knows what might happen. You'll just have to tune in and see!_

_A round of thanks go out to: _

_**Rusty Bedsprings**: My number one gal, of course! Sorry to make you cry. You might want some Kleenex if I got you going the last chapter...heh. Anyways, I was typing out the agruement scene and in the first draft it went on from there, but it really didn't make much sense and tended to repeat a lot. And, seeing as how I wanted to keep in line with the show, adding a bit of humor in an otherwise drama filled chapter was needed, so I came up with the concept of Jackson tackling Kirk. It made me laugh, and I'm glad people are starting to get my whacked-out sense of humor. lol. Thanks for the reivew. _

_**Potostbeyeluvr: **Ha! Ha! My evil plan worked! I wanted people to dislike Seth in the begining. Then, BAM! Understand where the guy is comming from and give him pity. Kinda like in Secret Window where you sympathize with Mort all through it until the very end when you realize that Mort's the villan all along. Wow. Might have just ruined that book/movie for ya. But it you haven't read it, it's great! Espically if you love S. King. I would suggest picking up Four Past Midnight (it's the set of novellas, yes novellas, that contains "Secret Window"). _

_And more thanks go out to: **Suz22, Orangeshertbet7, Bloodymary2, JoEySaNgEl1534, Franala, LittleGGlover, Epona9009, LukeNlorelai, Bloomin Dasiy, Izzpuppy, Once Upon a Whim, Beautiful Butterfly, Pokey, Forrsaken Goddess, Karah Bella, **and** Sucker4Soccer. **Again, if I missed you I'm sorry. It's almost midnight and I'm onnearly zero sleep. Work with me here. _

* * *

"Looks like I picked the wrong week to stop sniffing glue."  
(_Airplane_)

* * *

Somehow, in a course of events even Lorelai, the conscious, clear thinking one (for the moment, anyways) could not remember even for all the coffee in the world, they had ended up just sitting there in Luke's diner. Rory was still crying out the last bits of her tears, Lane (who she had remembered the slightly awkward introduction to) had left with the promise of a late night phone call or something to that degree, diner patrons came and left, and Luke just sat behind the counter, cleaning it with his rag mercilessly.

The last thing she clearly remembered, and could actually testify to was her standing, holding Rory and watching Seth walk out that door. And she, in some strange course of events, had finally got it. Everything.

Which lead her to feel like the bad guy in all of this, which is something Lorelai Gilmore was not accustomed to feeling. Victim, yes. Bad guy-type, never. That was Emily Gilmore territory.

And god save her if she was becoming her mother.

"Rory," Lorelai finally nudged her daughter, who seemed to be calming down. "We need to talk."

Rory lifted her head from Lorelai's shoulder, "Sorry about that," she pointed to the large tearstain that now accented Lorelai's sweater.

"It's not a problem. I should have brought Kleenex, but I kinda thought you'd throw them at me this morning, so I decided it was best not to give you ammunition," she tried for a joke. It was her defense mechanism after all.

Rory smiled faintly, "I probably would have. Earlier. Now, I would have thrown them at Dad. I can't believe they lied to me."

"It's not that hard to believe," Lorelai tired to keep up her false front. She had to appear like everything was okay. That what she was about to say was really what she wanted.

"Whatda mean? Parents lying to their children? You have that a little backwards."

She shook her head, "No, not in this case, kiddo."

"What are you talking about? Aren't you angry! You should be angry! Why aren't you angry?"

Lorelai sighed, "Yea, I was pretty angry. Hell, I'm still pretty angry, but I'll get over it. So will you," Lorelai gave another encouraging smile. "You're parents aren't bad people, Rory. If I had thought for one second that I was sending you to live with Cinderella's step family reincarnated, or for that matter the VonTrapp family, I would have done something. Something stupid and highly illegal, but something."

Rory pulled away from Lorelai, "What are you talking about? Are you saying you agree with what they did? You agree with them lying to me for sixteen years! For keeping you out of my life!"

Lorelai shook her head, "No. I'm pissed as hell about that, but it wasn't my call to make. They're right, I gave up my right to be your mother."

"So what, this whole 'I want to be here' thing was another lie?"

"No, no!" Lorelai shook her head violently, "I want to be here. Not just for the coffee, or because I like the town. I want to be here with you. God, I'm going to kick myself every day for signing those papers! But that's my mistake to live with." She let out another sigh, "I guess what I'm saying is that I gave up my right to complain. You are their child."

"But what about you?" Rory croaked out, "What if I want to stay with you?"

Lorelai shook her head, trying to keep a smile on her face, but her eyes were betraying her. "I'd love to have you, kiddo. But you belong here."

"They lied to me."

"I know they did. And it sucks, but they did it because they love you. And that's redemption points in my book."

"What?"

"They love you so much, Rory. And they didn't want to lose you. And they knew," she took another deep breath, "They knew that I was the only person that could ever take you away."

"But,"

Lorelai shook her head, "Your emotional right now. You'll understand soon enough. Just get yourself a clear head, kiddo."

"But what about you?"

"Just because I'm not your mom, doesn't mean I can't be your friend," she offered weakly. Rory collapsed back into Lorelai's arms, primed and ready for a new round of tears. Lorelai just patted her head, "Oh, come on now, Rory. Your gonna be fine. This will all blow over soon enough."

Rory mumbled out something into her sweater. Something she'd probably never know, and never should. Somethings were best left unheard.

Lorelai bit her lip. This next part was the one she dreaded the most. But she had to do it. She had to be the adult. Something she had dreaded becoming for ages now. "But your not gonna get better until you talk with your parents."

Rory lifted her head out of Lorelai's sweater again, "What?"

"You need to go home, Rory. Talk with your parents. Honestly. You know, a little heart to heart," Lorelai tried to maintain a friendly smile on her face. "You need to understand why they did what they did. And they need to know that you're still their daughter."

Rory bit her lip, "Now?"

Lorelai nodded, "This situation is just like taking off a Band-Aid. Just rip it off, baby," she tired for another joke, but once again fell flat.

Rory's face fell a little, "Oh."

"Do you want me to drive you?"

Rory shook her head, "No. That's okay. It's not far."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

Lorelai took another deep breath. "Then I guess, this is goodbye for now, then?"

"Are you gonna stick around?"

She shook her head, "I lied before. I really have to get back."

Rory's face fell even more, "Oh."

"But I'll call you when I get home. Then I'll e-mail you, and send you a dozen greeting cards. For all different occasions!"

Rory's face brightened up a little, not much, but it was an improvement. "So, you won't be a stranger?"

"Never." Lorelai grabbed out a pen from her purse, and grabbed a napkin from one of the near-by dispensers. "Here's my info," she said as she scribbled down her address, phone, and e-mail. "And if you ever need anything, a place to crash, a shoulder to cry on, or just because, don't even worry about calling me. I'll drop everything. If I'm in a wedding, I'll walk back down the isle and say 'sorry, my best friend needs me' to everyone to dares ask what the heck I'm doing. In an important business meeting, I'll drop my coffee and run out of the building without so much as a 'sorry boss, was that coffee that just landed in your lap hot'. Somewhere in Europe being swept up into the arms of Johnny Depp and you need me, I'll just say 'Sorry, Johnny' and hop the next flight outta there."

Rory's face brightened with each new example, "You promise? Even if Johnny Depp offers you a wedding ring?"

"Well, I like to be a rebel, and seeing as how he's proposed to everyone else in the world, it would only be natural for me to decline," she smiled, "But if that did happen, I'd give the ring back and say 'Sorry, Johnny, my best friend needs me'." She slid the napkin towards Rory, "So whatda say? Should we give this crazy friendship a shot?"

Rory smiled, and took the napkin. "I'm in."

"Alright then, I'll need your contact info, if you don't mind," Lorelai grabbed out another napkin and handed it along with her pen to Rory.

"And I promise that if you need me, no matter the situation, I'll drop everything and be there for you." She smiled as she scribbled down her phone number, e-mail, and address.

"Even if Prince William proposes to you?"

"Even if dear Will finally comes around," Rory said with a mock sigh as she pushed the napkin back at Lorelai. "I'll be expecting your call."

"I never disappoint."

Rory sighed, "So, I guess this is goodbye then." Rory leaned in and gave Lorelai yet another hug.

"For now," Lorelai added as the girls pulled out from the hug. "You're gonna hear from me so much, it'll be like I never left. Pretty soon I'll start to annoy you."

"Never," Rory smiled back at her.

"So, you gotta get home, then," Lorelai reminded her.

"I know," Rory sighed, "I'm going," she stood up. Then she leaned down and gave Lorelai one of those awkward one-armed hugs, and walked out of the diner.

Lorelai watched her disappear down the street, slowly feeling her face fall. As soon as Rory was out of sight, she finally let her real emotions show.

She just banged her head down on the table and sat there.

"You did a good thing," Luke's said gruffly.

Lorelai raised her head, he was sitting across from her, coffee pot in hand. She had no idea when he actually came over to her, but that didn't matter. "It was the right thing," she sighed.

"Yea, but it was still good. I know you didn't want to do it. But you didn't let Rory know that. And that's where the good thing comes into play."

Lorelai sighed, "I wish I could go back in time. Ever had that feeling? I mean, the second I gave her up, and I mean the second, I regretted it. I knew I hated it, but I did it anyways. Cause I knew that I could never offer her the things that real parents could, y'know? I was just a kid. A really, really stupid kid."

Luke gave her a warm, encouraging smile, "But you did what was right for Rory. Just like you did just now."

Lorelai shrugged, "It's nothing to be proud of."

"No, it is. Not everybody would do that," he stood back up and filled her up a new cup of coffee.

"Thanks," she mumbled out as he walked away.

But just before he reached the counter, he turned back around, "And, if it helps,they did name her Lorelai. Rory's just a nickname."

She turned back around in her chair, "Really?"

"Yeah."

Lorelai turned back around her in chair. The news making her feel slightly better about Seth and Allison, but it wasn't enough to rectify the situation. But she had to move on from it. What was done was done. She'd made her decision, and now she'd have to live with it.

At least now she had a friend to help her through.

* * *

**_Last Chapter up soon!  
Please Review, as always._**


	12. Eleven: I'll be There for You

_Alright, here's my short little wrap-up. This has been a blast writing this fic, and I'm still amazed at how well it picked up within the section. You guys are awesome. _

_I wanna thank **ProFfeSseR **and **Rusty Bedsprings** espically, because you two have reviewed nearly every single chapter as well as every single Gilmore Girls fic that I have written to date. You guys are the best. Rusty, you know you're my number one gal! And ProFfeSser, you know you're awesome in my book and I finally know how to spell your name (and hopefully, I didn't just make a complete idiot out of myself right there...), and I love ya babe! _

_**Miss-Lionesse, Pokey,Beautiful Butterfly, **and**Lukenlorelaifan **you guys are right up there behind ProFfeSseR and Rusty for the most reviews as well as reading and reviewing my other fics. You guys rock! And I really hope to get around to reading some of your guys' own fics as soon as my life gets a little less hetic. _

_At number three, comes in the grouping of: **Potostboyeluvr, Kyizi, Bloomin Daisy, Mrs. Scott Patterson, Dimension, Epona9009, Once Upon a Whim, Phoebe4u, Ozluv04, Estick, Yrag, Sucker4soccer, Katie, Orange Sherbert, Rita, Izzpuppy, Bloodymary2, Forsaken Goddess, Karah Bella, **_and _**LittleGGlover **for being repeat offenders in the reviewing game. You guys may not have gotten every single chapter, and/or every single fic, and some more then others, but you're views where always appericated and I really began recogizing a lot of your names. You guys are awesome. _

_And for the most random and hilarious reivews, goes to none-other-then **Muffin is Injured**. Muffins, you are quite the ranter. I bow to your power. lol. And it's such a compliment to have a writer that you love come, review, and love your story as well. Much love, babe. Peace Out. lol._

_To any and all that reivewed my last chapter and was not mentioned in the above section, thank-you so much. I'd look up your names, but I stupidly closed the window, so you'll just have to deal with the genertic thank-yous and such. _

_Ah! I still can't believe this is over! It was so much fun writing it, but it was time to end it. Things were settled, Lorelai needed to come out of her dream. And that little java junkie itch was really getting to me, so I began work on my newest fic **Green Light** you know, in case your insterest...heh...heh...totally not an avertisment just there...heh. I couldn't resist. _

_Thank you again. I hope to see you all again on future projects. _

* * *

"I'll be there for you, when the rain starts to fall. I'll be there for you, like I've been there before. I'll be there for you, cause your there for me too."

(The Rembrants, "I'll be There for You")

* * *

When Lorelai opened her eyes, the scene had dramatically changed. Just a few seconds ago she was in the diner, Rory had left, she was alone. And now, here she was, in Luke's bed, in his apartment, and he was sitting next to her with a worried look on his face and a cell phone in the other hand. Scratch that, not a cell phone, her cell phone! Luke the man that has been and forever will be against cell phones caught red handed with Lorelai's phone! She'd have to save this for a later mocking date.

"Hey sleepy head," he smiled back down at her, breaking her chain of thought, "Rory's been trying to reach you all night. She's on her way down here now,"

Lorelai cut him off by pulling him into a tight hug. It was all just a dream. A stupid dream. She had Rory. Rory was hers and hers alone, and she didn't want to share, dammit!

Luke tensed noticeably at first, probably from the shock, then relaxed into the hug. "Hey, there, you okay?"

Lorelai mumbled out an answer into his shoulder. What exactly that answer was, not even she knew. It just felt like a 'I should say something' moment, so making a noise was her best cover-up.

"Rory should be here any minute now. I told her to just come up here," he continued, "Are you sure you're okay?"

Lorelai sighed, "I just had the worst dream in recorded history. And let me tell you, I've had some whoppers."

"Oh."

"God, you must think I'm a complete mess right now," Lorelai mumbled out, "Doesn't want to go home alone, takes your bed, hugs the first person she sees,"

"No," Luke cut her off, "You may be crazy, but you're not a mess."

Lorelai looked up at him, but still refused to move from the hug.

He looked back down at her, "Trust me, I know what a mess is. You've met my sister, the wonderful Liz Danes. Then her son, the ray of sunshine named Jess. And then there's Jimmy, Liz's ex-husband that spilt right after she gave birth. Now those are messes. You, however, fail to meet the requirements."

Lorelai's face grew into a warm smile, then she leaned her head back down onto Luke's shoulder, and wrapped her arms around him even tighter. And she had no intention of leaving that spot until Rory came and she just switched arms.

There are some days in a woman's life where she just needs to be hugged. And Lorelai's days had been piling up slowly but surely ever since she dropped her little baby off at college. Long story short, she had a lot of making up to do.

"You're the best," she whispered to him.

Luke just rubbed her back slowly, having gotten the silent 'I need a hug' memo. "No problem," he just answered simply.

She didn't know how long they sat like that. It felt like only a few short seconds, but Lorelai knew it had to be longer then that. But the next thing she knew, the door to Luke's apartment was flying open, and Rory bounded into the room, just as much as a mess as her dear old mom.

"Mom!" Rory shouted the second she broke into the room.

Luke just patted Lorelai's back, and stepped away, leaving room for Rory to run and jump into her mother's arms. "I'm so sorry, I didn't realize what I was doing! God! I'm sorry!"

Lorelai just hugged her daughter even closer to her, just glad to have her back in her arms. It was just a dream. A stupid dream. Rory was hers and hers alone.

"I love you, kiddo," she whispered back to Rory. "God, I love you so much."

"I love you too, Mom," Rory said back to her. And not just in that 'I have to say it' manner that most kids say to their relatives, but true, heart-felt words.

Because they weren't just a mother and a daughter. They were also each other's best friend. And nobody can break a bond like that.

Sometime, in the hug fest of '04 (as it would later be named), Luke had left the two girls alone to have their 'girl time' as he called it and opted to sit in his diner alone, probably clutching a baseball bat and a beer, seeing as how his apartment had now been chick-a-fied, and Rory and Lorelai had managed to move from a sitting hug position to a laying hug position, and continued to abuse their diner privileges by staying there that night instead of going home.

"Hey, question," Lorelai broke the comfortable silence that the two girls had found themselves in, "If I needed you for something, and you happened to be in England with Prince William, would you drop him and run back to me?"

Rory gave her mother a look, "Why would I be in England with Prince William?"

"Well, in my dream you said you would give up Prince William proposing for me," Lorelai pointed out. "And I just wanted to check to see if that was just dream Rory or if the real Rory would do that too."

Rory snuggled up closer to Lorelai, "Yea. I'm drop him like a bad habit for you. Hell, you gave up Johnny Depp for me."

"Well, dream Lorelai did," she teased.

"Hey!"

"Well you're off with Prince William in England! You get a prince, I only get this years sexist man alive! I mean talk about a bum deal!"

Yep. This was everything that she wanted. Sure college t-shirts and misguided world views had their allure every once in awhile, but she still could not help but come back to the fact that if she had gotten all of that stuff, then she would have never gotten Rory.

And she couldn't have that. Not even for Johnny Depp.

* * *

_Fin_

* * *

**_Again, thank-you all. This has been a pleasure.  
Hugs and kisses. _**


End file.
